Pitch Dark
by HoT.aGaiNsT.a.WaLL
Summary: What if Naruto was immortal?- And what if he ended up living so long he got into the same crash everyone else did? slash riddickXnaruto
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Riddick or Naruto.

**A/N:** This occurs during Pitch Black. Just so you know… I went off the original screen play instead of the movie version because I believe it's better/longer/awesomer… I also, of course, had to twist a few things around. You know how it is when you add an extra character to a universe he was never apart of… Hope you enjoy, Tara.

**Warning:** This is definitely guyXguy… I am a yaoi fan :P

_They say most of your brain shuts down in Cryo-sleep... All but the primitive side. The animal side._

_No wonder I'm still awake._

_Transporting me with civilians... Sounded like forty-- forty plus.__Heard an Arab voice: Some hoodoo holy man. Probably on his way to New Mecca. But what route? What route?_

_Smelled a woman... Sweat, boots, tool belt, leather. Prospector type. Free settlers. And they only take the back roads._

_And here's my real problem. Mr. Johns... Blue-eyed devil. Planning on taking me back to slam. Only this time he picked a ghost lane.__Long time between stops…__Long time for something to go wrong._

_

* * *

_

'I've heard that most of your brain shuts down during Cryo-Sleep…' The blonde thought to himself, letting the movements of the ship jostle him in it's hold. 'All but the primitive side… The animal side… No wonder I'm still fucking awake.'

The shaking didn't really bother him so much; he'd taken worse rides. Longer ones, too. The second he'd heard the alarm, though, he knew his ride would be landing ahead of schedule. He was in a state of half awareness, and nothing really seemed to faze him as the ship thrashed about more violently. Nothing ever seemed to truly faze him anymore…

He'd gotten on this boat with the hopes of going to New Mecca and maybe finding a new calling there. He'd been so bored with life as of late. It had lasted for far too long to stay interesting—not to mention the fact that he still couldn't manage to find someone that could anchor him down to his age. If he didn't soon, he'd be eternally blonde, tan, and a year younger than this era's legal drinking age—Which was _not_ something Uzumaki Naruto was looking forward to after picking up the horrid habit of overly consuming the addicting liquid fire from Tsunade some thousand years before.

He inhaled the air slowly, letting the smell of fear and sweat consumed his senses as one of the Cryo-Lockers blew open; spitting out a woman onto the harsh metal grating of the floor. The scent of blood wafted in the air, and he felt a sharp change in emotion as holes were riddled into the hull of their boat. Another crew member tumbled onto their co-pilot. Naruto listened in his half-awake state, eyes shut because his body was asleep, but his mind wasn't.

"Why did I fall on you?" A man asked, completely disoriented as panic settled into his bones.

"He's dead," The woman hissed, her voice cracking in distress. "Cap'n's dead… Christ, I was looking right at him, when—"

The man stumbled to his feet, raking his hands over his head as he looked around like a frightened animal. "I mean—I mean, chrono's showing we're twenty-two weeks out… So, gravity wasn't supposed to kick in for another nineteen. I mean… I mean—I mean, I shouldn't have fallen _at all_."

The woman stood as well, looking over at her friend with confused eyes. "Owens! Did you hear me? Captain's dead."

Owens glanced at her, then their recently deceased captain, and then back to her. He gulped back the fear in his throat, his brown eyes wide in horror. Soon, they were stumbling into the nav-bay, alarms blearing loudly all around. She slid into the pilot's seat, checking her screens as Owens activated their exterior view.

"1550 millibars, dropping 20 MB per minute, shit, we're hemorrhaging air," She hissed. "_Something_ took a swipe at us."

"Just tell me we're still in the shipping lane," Owens muttered, almost to himself as he looked up to see through the opening windshield. "Just show me all those stars, all those bright, beautiful, deep-space—"

The sight of a planet right before him was all he saw. They were headed straight for her; being sucked in by the planet's gravitational pull. It was a horrific sight to behold. Air seemed to rush by as their ship shook and thrashed against what gravity was telling it to do: Plummet and crash. The sun was shining brightly above them, as their ship began falling to pieces as it hit the planet's upper atmosphere.

The woman flew forward, hands landing on the controls as her heart hammered away in her chest. It thumped against her lungs and battered her ribs as she tugged at the levers and switches this way and that.

"They trained you for this, right?" Owens asked over a headset while he settled into the back, trying to level everything out, too. "Fry?"

She didn't say anything back.

"_Fry?!_" He yelled into the receiver.

She still didn't answer.

* * *

She harnessed in, and started running switches. Fumbling a few times, she cursed both mentally and out loud. After a few trial and errors, she hit a sequence of switches and buttons and she relaxed into her seat. Finally, she got the crash-shutters before her to open and reveal cloud strata sweeping up past the windscreen like floor-lights on a dropping elevator.

It made her stomach float up into her mouth. Swallowing back her fear, she tensed and gripped the controls tightly. They were shedding _big_ altitude, and she needed to slow them down _now_. If she didn't… They were all as good as dead.

Fry ran more switches, causing the jettison doors to close around the ship. She flipped a security latch, and yanked the lever down. There was a sudden blast around the ship's skin, blowing away the non-essentials that were hindering their aerodynamics. It sent the ship twisting into a dangerous roll, causing Fry to throw the actuators as a way to level them out.

The airbrakes deployed as she killed the roll, but the ship was still going in nose high. Fry winced, fiddling with more controls before looking around and realizing what she had to do. Running switches, she closed her eyes and pulled.

* * *

Owens spun around as the jettison doors closed behind him. He stared at them in horror as they separated him from the passenger compartment. His panic escaladed, and he fumbled with his headset before he finally getting it just right.

"Fry? What're you doing?" He asked shakily, still staring at the sealed doors behind him.

He doesn't get a response.

"Fry?"

* * *

"—Can't get my fucking nose down," She ground out through her own head set, blonde hair sticking to her forehead with sweat. "Too much load back there…"

"You mean that 'load' of passengers?" Owens' voice strained, and he ran a hand through his short, brown hair.

"So what?" She snapped back. "We should both go down, too? Out of sheer fucking nobility?"

Owens fell silent this time. It was torture for both of them. To live, or not to live… That was the question. Owens closed his eyes, his mind debating a million miles a second on what he should or shouldn't do.

Fry was ready to pull it, but her body wouldn't quite let her. It was wrong, she knew. But she wasn't going to give her life up for a dozen or so strangers. Biting her lip, she clenched the handle of the lever painfully tight. She bounced her leg, waiting for some sign from her partner.

"Look, Fry," His voice echoed over her com. "Company says we're responsible for every one of those—"

"Company's not here, is it?"

"When captain went out, you stepped up—Whether you like it or not." He practically growled. "Now, they train you for this, so—"

"On a fucking simulator!" Fry cried out, fingers twisting around the handle.

She heard the distinct click of a seat belt over the intercom, Owens' voice echoing back through. "Don't touch that switch!"

Overcome with a strange sense of guilt and nobility, she pulled her hand back from the death switch. She blinked back the tears in her eyes, and looked around blindly for something—anything—that could save them. A sudden jolt to the ship had her hand back on the switch. A sort of snarl formed on her lips as she mumbled softly, "I'm not dying for them."

She yanked it, waiting for the update on her screen. She waited for the firing bolts, and the separation to take place as they screamed down through the clouds. When an alert appeared on the screen, Fry almost screamed in frustration.

* * *

Owens had opened the jettison doors locally, blocking them from closing, and keeping Fry from separating their passengers from the ship. An enraged yell echoed through his head as he got back over to his monitors.

"Owens!" Fry shouted, rage bubbling within her.

"70 seconds," He said right back. "You still got 70 seconds to level this beast out, Fry!"

* * *

Fry was seething in anger and guilt. Popping more airbrakes, she shed some speed, and more heat. The ship finally leveled out, but it was still being pounded hellishly as they descended down and down to the planet's crust. She tried to get a stable view out the windscreen as they broke though the cloud-bottoms. There was a glimpse of landscape before an airbrake fails.

It tore off with the velocity of their drop, and pin wheeled right into the windscreen. Fry winced, staring with wide eyes as the glass cracked into a thousand silver spider webs. Impossibly, it held… For the moment.

"What the shit was that?" Owens asked over the com, having heard the loud crack of steel against glass.

Fry didn't say anything as she stared at the windshield, trying to get a good visual. Sunlight flared from every fractured edge; blinding her. It was like looking into burning diamonds, and Fry could only get a bare impression of the outside world. Now she had to rely on a ground-mapping display.

120 meters altitude. And dropping.

* * *

Blue eyes snapped open in a passenger Cryo-Locker, and a tall, pale man clawed at his safety restraints as the ship rattled. He was in some kind of shit-storm, and he had to get out. A single thought ran through his mind, as he stumbled out of his locker and onto the ground. He looked over to where his prisoner should be, and felt a shock of relief wash through him as he saw those black goggles.

* * *

The ground-mapper told her everything. Told her how close they were to dying: 60 meters. Then, collision alarms kicked in. Fry glanced up and out the fractured windscreen, noting the huge, dark mass rise up into view. Land.

40 meters… 30… 20… 10…

Fry braced herself for impact. As soon as it hit, the already wounded windscreen imploded, sending shards of glass flying about the flight deck. It streaked across her skin, leaving small tares littered on her cheeks and forehead and clothes. Air hurricaned in, whipping about the room as she held her arms in front of her face protectively. She hadn't died… she was alive even as the boat went shearing across the dirt and rock.

* * *

Owens chair jerked with a loud thump, his seat belt holding him securely into his seat. He seemed to stiffen as the ship impacted with the planet, and chairs around him ripped from their moorings. His eyes widened, and suddenly, he was thrown into the ceiling. Falling back down, metal around him, and a dazed, half dead look came over his brown gaze.

* * *

The man on the grated floor looked around worriedly, thankful to be out of his locker as the shit storm seemed to fully hit their boat. Though, a second later, he wished to God he'd stayed inside because just beside him the hull was cracking open. It was like a nightmare.

A huge section of the cabin tore free, skittering and crashing along the planet floor behind them. Sun blared down above them, streaming brightly into the once darkened main cabin. Forty cryo-lockers vanished with it, and disintegrated out of sight. Forty cryo-lockers… Forty lives…

He clung to a support beam for his life, hoping he could hold on long enough for the goddamn ship to slow to a stop.

* * *

Back in the flight deck, Fry was being hammered by the wind that flooded into her space. She opened her eyes experimentally, the harshness of the air making her eyes water. A vortex of motion, of speed, of blurring debris flew by. The ship is finally burrowing in. Burrowing under.

She has to shield herself again as dirt avalanches into the cockpit. She couldn't see anything. She couldn't even open her eyes to check if she'd sustained any injury. Instead, she kept her face buried in her arms; trying without fail to keep herself safe.

* * *

They were all choking on yellow dust. Ghostly silhouettes in a cloud of debris coughing, moaning, and calling out to other survivors in English and, surreally, in Arabic. A man by the name of Johns stumbled to a cryo-locker; his ears red with the blood that ran from them. The cryo-locker was empty…

Johns reaches for his holster, tuning everything that had just occurred out. The fact that he'd almost died a moment before was erased from his memory as he found his weapon gone. It'd been torn right from his belt. No prisoner and no weapon—A spooky combination.

Nearby he saw the light of a cutting torch. Someone was using it to open a jammed cryo-locker. The plexi is torched away to reveal a young boy, maybe fourteen if he was lucky, completely unscathed. There was another scream next to him, and he looked over to see a locker shift beneath the rubble. Johns was distracted a moment, reaching down to clear the debris away.

Suddenly, a pair of chained feet swung into view and over Johns' head. The chain caught on his neck, and twisted hard using the chain as a kind of choke-collar. Johns flicked open a baton as he struggled to breath, and swung it up at his prisoner. The bald man above was still wrapped in body chains and a mouth bit. He clung to the ceiling for support, riding out the baton blows with ease.

Seconds from blacking out, Johns strained forward. He went further and further, and finally broke the man's hold on the support above. He kept hold of the chained feet so that the well ripped man slammed headfirst into the deck. Johns laid the baton on his neck.

"One chance and you blew it, Riddick," Johns rasped out, rubbing his throat. "Never cease to disappoint me."

Chaining Riddick to a beam, he left the man there to wait. He had other things to do first…

He turned his attention back to the movements in the cryo-locker still on the ground. With smooth movements, he knelt down and wrapped his knuckles against the little bit of plexi he could see beneath the metal and rocks on top of it. A loud knock came back, followed by a low, seething curse from inside the prism. Johns moved quickly, clearing the heavy objects from off the top of it, only to reveal a pair of burning blue eyes starring at him through the glass. The blonde seemed to be panting madly, like he'd run a marathon, and his hands were pressed securely against the plexi before him. His muscles were taunt as he shoved against it in anger; trying to escape. Johns made eye contact with him, and held up his index finger as a silent signal.

"One second," He muttered, looking around for a way to pry the locker open.

The blonde rolled his eyes, waiting impatiently for the man on top of him to help him escape this new prison. "Get. Me. _Out._"

Johns nodded, sliding off the box and running off to get help. He'd almost gotten to where everyone was gathering when a voice called out to him. He spun around at the sound, searching for where it came from when it echoed back again.

"Hey!" A feminine voice shouts.

"Hey, who?" Johns asked, stepping forward cautiously.

"Hey, me." She said. "Over here."

His light found it's way to a headrest sticking up from the dirt. Johns came closer, checking the other side of the headrest and finding her there. A blonde woman buried to the gills in debris, rubble, and dirt.

"Amazing," He muttered, looking her predicament over. "I'm Johns."

"Carolyn Fry," She shot him a quick, bitter smile. "I'd shake hands, but…"

He managed to smile back before he began to dig her out. Johns helped her out of the rubble, and through the carnage. She'd been stunned but it all, but especially the blast of sunlight where a hull used to be. As if she'd been hit by a brick, Fry realized just where she was.

The nav-bay was littered with metal as she dashed through, digging like a mad search dog. Eventually, she uncovered Owens, still strapped into his chair. There was a metal rod piercing his chest close to the heart. He was dead. Obviously dead. His eyes were open, though, and staring straight up at the ceiling in a dead daze.

She reached out to touch him, when he yelled. "Out, out, out—**Get it outta me!**"

She recoiled hard, falling back onto her ass with a horrified look pasted to her face. He was still _alive_. The other survivors seemed to bungle over as his screams echoed across the territory. A murmur of different voices, different opinions laced through the small crowd. Her breath was shaking as she reached out to grip the rod.

"Don't touch it!" Owens screamed. "Don't touch that switch!"

Fry jerked her hands back, and scuffled closer to her dying ship mate. "Awright, awright… someone, there's Anestaphine in the med-lock. That end of the cabin… next to—"

She cut herself off, looking to where she'd been pointing with a frown. There was no more 'end' to the cabin. She looked back in horror as Owens screamed on in exquisite pain. Everyone seemed to cringe back away, none of them having seen such raw suffering before.

"Get away," Fry's voice cracked. "Everybody."

The others left her, then. Except for the young boy who stayed behind to watch in morbid fascination. Johns doubled back, catching him by the collar of his shirt. Leaving, they passed Riddick who'd previously been cuffed to a bulkhead. His eyes were hidden by goggles as they tracked Johns and the boy towards daylight. His attention is drawn to a scream of frustration that emitted from a case not too far from him. Johns had forgotten… The blonde inside struggled, his safety belt already off, as he beat his hands against the glass. The smell of earth and blood crept into his senses, and he knew he had to get out of this locker soon or he'd suffocate. His oxygen levels were already low.

With a low growl, he kicked the plexi harshly, causing a small crack to spider web it's way along the filthy glass.

* * *

The survivors straggled outside, and Johns surveyed them all with a keen awareness. There's a male-female team of obvious bushwhackers; partners in life. The woman has a kind of tough sexiness about her. Her hair was long and her eyes were bright as she checked over her husband once again, making sure he was completely intact. The man's face shows his aboriginal blood as he scratched the brown beard on his chin. He soaked up the attention his wife gave him, telling her again and again 'Shazza, 'm alright'.

Johns looked over to another man. Overfed and over groomed. He was a puff pastry of a man in his fourties. His glasses seemed to be cracked as he muttered curses in an accented Latin. He was well dressed, and his feathers seemed ruffled about the obvious inconvenience of being crashed on some remote planet.

His blue eyes snapped over to four male "Chrislams". They were pilgrims on their way to New Mecca it seemed. Three of them were young, excitable teens. The fourth, however, was a schooled, pillar-steady man in his late fourties. Johns seemed to chuckle at the sight of them, an odd irony befalling his mind as he thought of how much they'd most likely prayed for a safe trip.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention to their landscape. All around them was a stark and unforgiving terrain. The valley floor was relieved only by low hills to one side, spiked with earthen spires. Scorching down on everything were two suns—one red, one yellow.

"Well," The overfed peacock spoke with a slight British accent. "Our own little slice of heaven…"

The Chrislams fell to their knees, confusion crossing their features as they tried to orient themselves. "Please," The older man said, his own accent lilting with his words. "Which way to New Mecca? We must know the direction in order to pray."

North? South? East? West? Nobody knew. Johns snapped open a compass, finding the needle swaying rudderlessly. The screaming from inside the ship finally seems to fall silent, much to the relief of the passengers' consciences.

* * *

Fry held Owens' now dead head in her lap. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and she staggered to her feet. Blinking away the sorrow, she found her way out, passing Riddick with a weary expression. She barely heard the sound of a yell from a person trapped in a box, but she heard.

Freezing, she wandered over to the cryo-locker, only to find matching tear filled blue eyes. She cursed at the sight of the boy in there, and knocked loudly on the glass to get his attention. The boy himself was frantically clawing at the door and the walls that held him in. He _would not_ die like _this_. A loud sound caught him, and he looked up hopefully; seeing a woman hovering above him.

His breathing finally calmed, as she gave him a soft, reassuring smile. "I'll get you out."

It was a promise he knew she'd keep even as she walked away.

She climbed out, onto the back of the ship. Johns was already there with a few of the survivors. She looked between all of them, counting them up in her head before looking over a few yards away to spot the Chrislams praying in four different directions. She nodded at the sight, sniffing back the rest of her weaker emotions to face Johns.

"Paris," He started, pointing at the bolstering older man. "Shazza, Zeke, and—"

"Jack!" The young boy cut in, holding out his hand for Fry to take.

She shook it without hesitation, glancing between all of them. "There's one missing."

"Who?" Johns asked, confusion in his voice.

"Another boy," She said, her voice was rough. "He's trapped in his locker. We need to get out before he suffocates."

Johns cursed to himself, rushing off the back of the ship, and back into what was left of it. They all seemed to follow, Shazza carrying a blow torch with her like the time before. Johns kept them as far from Riddick as possible when they passed him. Soon, they were at the cryo-locker, and Fry was waiting for the torch to heat up enough to cut through the plexi. It was quick enough for them, but not for the blonde within the case. His breath came in shallow pants, and he looked at the group above his limp form with bleary azure eyes. Suddenly, the air was flowing back in, but even then it was hard to _really_ get a good breath. The plexi was lifted up and off, and the blonde woman he'd seen before reached in to help his sit up.

He jerked right up, shaking his head like a wet dog, his chest heaving softly. His lips were parted as he inhaled slowly, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. He glanced at all of their faces, already knowing their names—because he'd done research before boarding this vessel. The thing was… It threw him through a loop as to why they had crashed when he'd picked the best boat there was.

"You alright?" The blue eyed man from before, Johns, asked.

His eyes narrowed dangerously, and he swung his fist around, clipping Johns on the jaw. He stumbled back, falling to the ground with a harsh thump, and his lip bleeding softly. With a low snarl, the boy sprung from his box and to his feet. Everyone looked up at him in shock and awe as he dusted off his olive green cargos and his black t-shirt.

"What the _fuck_ was that?" Johns leapt to his feet, glaring down at the short man before him.

"_That_, Mr. Johns," He hissed, stepping forward threateningly. "Was for _fuckin'_ forgetting me."

Johns seemed to shrink back into himself at the comment. All eyes were on him suddenly, and Fry knew just what the young man had to be talking about. She stood, too, and stepped between the two of them with narrowed eyes. She shook her head at him a moment before looking to the shorter of the two.

"What's your name?" She asked softly.

He scanned her a moment, internally pouting after realizing she was taller than him—a known complex of his ever since he was a child. "Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

**tbc**


	2. Chapter 2

"_What's your name?" She asked softly. _

_He scanned her a moment, internally pouting after realizing she was taller than him—a known complex of his ever since he was a child. "Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto."_

- - -

"Big talk about a scouting party…" Johns trailed off once they were back on top of the ruined ship with their spare person, his jaw aching. "… then we saw this."

Fry saw the huge smoldering scar in the ground behind the ship. Their plummet had left a horrible mark on the planet's skin. One glance was enough for everyone to know that there weren't any other survivors.

"Anyone else having breathing problems?" Paris asked. "Aside from me?"

"Like I just ran, or something…" Jack added, big, almond shaped eyes darting up to the blonde boy next to him. A flush spread across his cheeks when blue eyes caught his gaze with a small grin.

"Feel one lung short," Shazza said. "All of us."

"Well," Naruto shrugged, his shoulders relaxing from the struggle earlier. "I tend to get a bit asthmatic after being locked in a locker for longer than necessary—"

Johns cast him a quick glare, trying to shut him up. "I got the message when you slugged me, alright?"

The tan boy held up his hands in mock surrender, staying silent as all eyes suddenly turned to Fry. They were all looking to her for answers. She blinked a few times, panic and anxiety settling into her gut as she realized she was in charge.

"It's the atmo," She said slowly, trying to make sure she didn't sound like too much of an idiot. "Too much pressure. Not enough oxygen. Might take a few days to—"

"So what the bloody hell happened, anyways?" Zeke cut in, impatient as always.

"Somethin' knocked us off-lane. Maybe a rogue comet. Maybe we'll never know," Fry shrugged, giving him an 'I really can't help you' look.

"Well, I for one, am thoroughly fucking grateful," Shazza said with a smile. "This beast wasn't made to land like this. But cripes, you rode it down." She turned to the others before looking back at Fry. "C'mon, you lousy ingrates, only reason we're alive is 'cuzza her."

The others chimed in agreement, laying thankful hands on Fry's shoulders. The only one who didn't move was Naruto, but that's because he already _knew_. He stared at Fry, watching as her face betrayed none of her deep, dark secrets. The survivors seemed to anoint her their savior, but Naruto knew better… If Owens hadn't blocked the doors, they'd all be dust in the wind.

Not that he was blaming her… It was something that would've crossed his mind, too.

- - -

"Liquid oxygen canisters," Fry said, breaking out the pressure suits from the main cabin's hold. "Start ripping them out. Quick hits only—try to make them last."

"Well, isn't someone coming for us?" Jack asked, his eyebrows furrowed in question as he rubbed his hand over his shaved head. "Or are we all just gonna die of exposure or dehydration or sunstroke or maybe even something worse?"

They looked at him in shock. How could someone so young be so… cynical? Naruto had to bite back the chuckle that bubbled in the back of his throat as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hey," The boy said, hands up, much like Naruto had done earlier. "You don't have to worry about scaring me."

"We're worried you'll scare us," Shazza said, ushering him away with her. "Name's 'Jack', right, love? And you're goin' to Taurus Three like we were?"

"Yeah, but…" Jack was honestly curious as he was led away. "Do we even have enough food to get there? Or will we have to resort to cannibalism?"

At that question, Naruto couldn't hold back his loud guffaw. He covered his mouth guiltily snickering to himself. The three remaining adults looked at the twenty year old in question before turning their attention back to each other.

"I'll see 'bout makin' this air go a bit further, cap'n." Zeke commented, picking up the breathers one by one. "With your permission, a' course."

Naruto blinked in surprise. _'They _actually_ think she's their captain…'_

As Zeke and the others went to work, Fry found herself staring at _another_ problem. Naruto stepped up next to her, tilting his head at the sight of the bound muscle and aura of danger that surrounded the man. It made his insides quake nervously, and he had to bite his lip harshly to remind him to keep his hands to himself before he could reach out to touch the villain.

"And him?" Fry asked over her shoulder.

"Big Evil?" Johns looked over, half interest on his face before his gaze strayed to the blonde man standing next to the captain. His eyes scanned the lithe form a moment before Fry's voice called him back.

"We just keep him locked up forever?" She asked, turning to face him.

"That would be my choice," Johns shrugged, standing up straight as Naruto turned to look at him, too. "Already escaped once from the max-slam facility on—"

"I don't need his life story," She waved him off. "Is he really that dangerous?"

Johns paused, a smirk finding it's way onto his face as his gaze locked onto the shorter man's. "Only around humans."

Fry nodded, that was all she needed to know. She looked back to the bound man a moment before leaving. Naruto had a grin on his face as he enjoyed his own private joke. Turning back around, he face the murderer for what he was—Human. Johns took a small step forward, cautious against getting punched again.

"Only around humans, ne?" Naruto questioned, almost playfully as Johns stepped closer and closer.

"Yeah," Johns nodded, eyes falling down to Naruto's tight backside.

Suddenly, the blonde whipped back around, looking up with a glimmer of glee in his bright blue eyes. "Well, then I should be safe."

With that, he left Johns standing there with Riddick still bound up. Letting out a slow sigh, he cast a look at Riddick before following the blonde out. The comment barely registered in his mind, but Riddick almost smirked around the bit in his mouth as he was left to himself.

- - -

They were looking for something – anything—to drink. In what was left of the cargo hold, Paris led them back to his container. Naruto was closest to the rich man, followed by Johns, who was in turn followed by Fry. Paris opened the doors with the help of the small blonde to reveal a cast-holding of objects.

"King Tut's tomb…" Johns said dryly.

"Not really," Naruto said, looking about. "Tut had _way_ more stuff."

Paris rolled his eyes, and led them breezily past the many objects he owned and was selling for a pretty price in the Taurus system. "In this desk here."

Naruto puffed out a quick sigh, kneeling down to open the chest and was scolded for being so harsh on the wooden box. He opened it with ease, and smiled at what he saw within. Cubby holed inside were dusty bottles of Sherry. Vintage Port. Glenfiddich. Bicardi 151.

"This is it? Booze?" Fry peered in, her nose wrinkling with disgust. "_That's_ what you have to drink?"

"200-year-old, single-malt scotch is to 'booze' as foie gras is to 'duck guts'." Naruto commented sagely; he knew he alcohol and this was some of the best he'd seen in a while.

Johns cracked a bottle open, grin on his pale face. "A toast to whatever he just said."

Naruto grinned back, grabbing his own bottle before walking out the door. "I'll need a receipt for those," Paris said snootily. "For all of them."

"Top of my list," Fry stated dryly, joining Johns in his drink when the Chrislams walked in; envy and aversion flitting across their faces. "I don't suppose…"

"One of the Christian habits we _didn't_ adopt—perhaps unfortunately," The leader, Imam as they knew him, said. "We'll have to wait."

"For what?" Johns sneered. "There is no water. You understand that, don't you?"

"All deserts have water, somewhere," Imam said with a small smile. "God shall lead us there."

- - -

Riddick sat in silence, staring at the cutting torch Fry had abandoned in the wreckage after springing Naruto from his cryo-locker. Not such a smart move, leaving a weapon like that so close to him. With his hands cuffed behind him and around the bulkhead, he couldn't get near it. Or could he?

Near the ceiling, the bulkhead is fractured—a slim spot where maybe his chain could pass through. He stood. With a gruesome popping noise, he dislocated both of his shoulders and carried his arms overhead. Passing the chains through the broken spot, he brings his arms down in front of him. With a quick flex he popped them back into joint.

Free, he reached for the cutting torch.

- - -

Pistol in hand, Johns ran, eyes sweeping the landscape. Nothing on the horizon. But something was lying on the ground nearby. It was Riddick's mouth-bit. He walked over slowly, dropping down onto one knee to pick it up. Cursing, he stood and chucked the bit as far as he could, rage seeping from each pore.

"Like we needed another goddamn way to die," He said venomously to himself.

- - -

Hands pillaged the storage lockers, pulling out anything that might qualify as a 'weapon'. It all got hauled back and dumped into the nav-bay. Gathered, the survivors take inventory: Johns had a pistol, shotgun, baton. Zeke and Shazza offered up a pick-ax, digging tolls, and a hunting boomerang. Imam showed them a ceremonial blade. Paris straggled in with antique curios.

"What the hell are these?" Johns asked, holding out one of the items.

"Maratha crow-bill war-picks from Northern India," Paris said. "Very rare."

"An' this?" Zeke asked, scanning a long, leather bound stick.

"Blow-dart hunting stick from Papua New Guinea," Paris stated, snatching it away. "Very, _very_ rare, since the tribe's extinct."

" 'Cuz they couldn't hunt shit with these thing, be my guess." Zeke chuckled, and Naruto looked over the weapon curiously.

"Well, what's the need anyway?" Paris asked, turning to Johns. "If he's gone, he's gone. Why should he bother with us?"

Johns stared the man down, noting how Naruto seemed to pat himself down, as if making sure he hadn't lost something—or multiple things. "I dunno… Maybe 'cuz he can only live out there for so long—he's gonna come back and take what we got. Maybe to skull fuck you in the middle of the night. Or maybe just for the sheer thrill of the kill."

There was a moments pause. Then, they all grabbed for weapons.

- - -

Johns stood atop the crash ship, scanning the land with a scope. He fixated on a blue glow at the horizon, and pulled back to look with both eyes. His face screwed up in an unreadable emotion when he turned to face a grinning blonde. He skidded to a stop, almost toppling into the smaller man. Naruto laughed softly, tilting his head, and glancing over Johns' shoulder at the blue light on the horizon, gripping the bottle of alcohol in his hand.

"Sun rise," He commented. "Looks like we won't be getting any sleep."

Johns nodded, taking a step closer to the blonde. Blue eyes shined up at him with mirth, and watched with a sharp awareness as Johns lifted a hand up to tuck a silky gold lock behind the boy's ear. Naruto's grin was wiped of his face suddenly, as he felt something shift deep, deep beneath the surface. Blinking, he looked down at the metal beneath his feet before panic suddenly settled into his veins like an adrenaline rush.

"Oh, fuck," He whispered, springing away from Johns, and sliding down the side of the ship to land with his feet firmly planted on the dirt ground. Something was under them… Gathering beneath them, and just… waiting.

- - -

Zeke and Shazza had modified the breather units, adding straps and tubing and ball-floats. The prototype was tested on the all to willing Jack. He sucked on the mouthpiece, and found that it worked. It supplied oxygen on demand, rather than in a constant flow.

The Chrislams had converted to traditional Bedouin head-gear, ready for travel. Fry finished wrapping Owens' body, and she looked to the yellow sun, low on the horizon. The red sun seemed inclined to follow.

"We should leave soon," Fry said, standing and dusting off her pants. "Before nightfall, but while it's cooler.

"What, you're goin' off, too?" Zeke asked.

"Johns is leaving you a gun," Fry informed him. "Just do me a favor, huh? Get my crewies buried? They were good guys who died bad."

Shazza stepped up next to her husband, her hand resting on his shoulder. "A'course we will."

Fry and the others rounded the ship to see a blue star floating into view. It rose into the sky and shining brightly down onto the planet they were currently stuck on. It was rising as the others were setting causing a never ending cycle of daylight.

"Three suns?" Jack questioned incredulously.

"So much for your nightfall," Zeke commented to Fry.

"So much for my cocktail hour," Paris grumbled softly to himself.

"We take this to be a good sign," Imam smiled. "A path. A direction from God."

Johns swung down from the top of the ship, his eyes never leaving where the blonde stood only a couple yards away. "A very good sign. That's Riddick's direction. You do _not_ wannna be caught in the dark with this guy."

"I thought you found his restraints over there," She pointed to the setting suns. "Toward sunset."

Johns nodded. "Which means he went toward sunrise."

**Tbc**

**Review please. Much love, Tara… 3**


	3. Chapter 3

They trekked across the sand, the Chrislams wafting incense pots as they chanted from the Koran. They were headed to the blue star; Johns providing shotgun escort while Fry carried Paris' second war-pick on a shoulder. Naruto trailed behind them, no weapon in head, but not weaponless. His breathing came in short gasps, as he listened silently to the things below them.

It was very odd for anything to make Naruto feel safe in the thousand plus years he'd been alive. It was even more rare for something to truly frighten him the way this planet did. Something was seriously wrong here… And he didn't know what.

Already sun-battered, Johns crafted an eye-visor out of plexi. Fry tried to wrap her head like the Chrislams, but couldn't quite get it. Imam helped her, pausing in their journey to secure the sash around her head. Naruto watched and listened, studying the religious man's movements.

"So quiet," Fry spoke softly. "You get used to the sound of the ship, then—"

"You know who Muhammad was?" He asked.

"Some prophet guy?" Fry said, puzzled.

" 'Some prophet guy'. And a city man. But he had to travel to the desert—where there was quiet—to hear the words of God." Imam said sagely.

"You were on a pilgrimage? To New Mecca?" Naruto asked, catching both of their attention as Imam finished wrapping Fry's head.

Nodding, Imam walked forward with the both of them, trying to catch up to their party without expending too much energy. "Chrislam teaches that once in every lifetime should there be a great hajj—a great pilgrimage. To know God, better, yes, but to know yourself as well."

"Frightening thought," Naruto scoffed. "A lot of people can't stand themselves."

Imam shrugged his broad shoulders, a generous smile on his lips. "Maybe… But we're all on the same hajj, now."

Naruto nodded again, accepting the explanation at face value. That was always how he'd been. Know and accept; never change. His blue eyes scanned the group of people, noting Johns' scope locked onto something in the distance.

"What is it?" He asked, stepping up next to him, and holding out a hand for the scope.

"Tell me it's not a mirage," Johns said, passing it over.

Naruto held the thing up to his eye, not that he needed to. With just a little concentration he could have scene what he saw without technological help. He was old, and his senses were something that almost nothing in this time could master or understand. When he'd bonded with the Kyuubi so long ago, he'd become immortal, and now here he was… Staring beyond a distant rise to see the odd branches of some most likely odd trees.

"Trees," He stated, pulling the scope away from his face, and handing it back to Johns with a jerky movement.

"Trees?" Fry asked, a hopeful lilt to her voice.

"Praise God, his holy son Jesus, and the profit Muhammad," Imam said, holding his hands out.

- - -

Paris had taken over as look-out atop the ship. He dealt with the heat by erecting a 'misting' umbrella. He filled a reservoir with liquor and dialed up a regulator. The Umbrella spars shoot bursts of cooling alcohol vapor down upon him as he takes a long pull of whiskey from the glass in his hand. Paris seemed to luxuriate in it.

"Comfy up there?" Zeke called up as he loaded a scrap-metal sled with tarp, cable, and a pick-ax.

"Amazing how you can do without the essentials of life—So long as you have the luxuries," Paris shot back.

"Well, just keep your bloody-fuckin' eyes open. Don't want that ratbag sneakin' up on me bloody-fuckin' arse." Zeke said, dragging the sled toward the spired hills.

Keeping one eye on Zeke, Paris eased into a chair, and laid the war-pick across his lap. He poured himself another spot of sherry, and took a small sip. He let himself relax under the sun, his eyes falling shut a second. Suddenly, a blade touched his throat.

"He'd probably get you right here, right under the jaw," Jack whispered low. "And you'd never hear him coming. That's how good Riddick is."

Paris eased the hunting boomerang away from himself, casting a heated glare at the boy behind him. "Now, did you run away from your parents? Or did they run away from you?"

Jack grinned before springing away. His job was done for now…

- - -

The scouting party approached a rise. The trees loomed just beyond. The young pilgrims broke into an excited run, anticipating an oasis. Naruto hung back with Fry, taking a harder look at the trees. They didn't move with the wind…

The pilgrims scrambled up the rise—and went motionless. Fry, Johns, Naruto, and Imam catch up to see that the 'trees' were actually the dorsal bones of a titanic skeleton, tinted green by lichen. Beyond was a sea of bleached animal bones. Naruto stared with wide, almost frightened eyes, biting his lower lip. The bones seemed to _moan_ in pain before him. It was like Hell had overflowed right there.

"Is this whole planet dead?" Fry hissed to no one in particular.

One of the young pilgrims asked Imam a question in Arabic, but Naruto cut the old man off before he could translate. "Tell him we don't know."

They stared at Naruto in question, but Imam in shock, "How do you know what he asked—"

"Tell him," Naruto spun around, looking to the boy before looking at Imam. "That they died naturally. Do _not_ let him believe something did this. We can't use anymore fear."

Imam hesitated before nodding, bending to whisper the answer to his young student. When he was done, they turned their attention back to the blonde, not noticing the way his hands shook at his sides. He was the first to move forward, and into the boneyard.

"Some… communal graveyard, perhaps…" Imam spoke, trying to reason with himself. "Like the elephants of Earth."

Naruto touched one of the towering bones. His fingers brushed against it's eerie whiteness and he cringed at the sight of cut marks—as if someone had been hacking at it with a sword. Or worse yet, been gnawing on it with razor sharp teeth.

'_Graveyard?'_ He thought, _'Or killing field?'_

"Long time ago," Johns said, stepping up next to Naruto, giving him a reassuring look. "Whatever happened."

'_Right,'_ He thought with a mental eye roll.

They separate then, searching the boneyard to look for anything that could be useful. The pilgrims reached a huge skull laced with baleen-like combing. When wind hit the comb, it made a low, harmonic moaning. By moving a hand over the comb, the pilgrim could play music. Wanting to show off his new trick, he looked about for his friend.

When he turned back to face the skull, a face was staring back at him through the combing. He cried out, falling back and off his feet to hit the ground with a thump. Stumbling to his feet, he looked into the combing once more—not seeing anything.

- - -

His friend had already wandered inside the skull, looking up in awe at the empty thing. Wind rushed by, rustling his clothes, when suddenly Johns walked in and chased him out. Surveying the room, he doesn't notice anything odd. He was just about to leave when he sees bone chippings piled on the ground. It could have been nothing, but still…

Johns double-checked shadows. Probing with the muzzle of his shotgun as he searched for anything abnormal. When he was satisfied that there was no one there, he finally left. The only thing was, he'd missed the bald man above, hiding in a sinus cavity.

- - -

Naruto spotted the youngest of the pilgrim boys on the exterior of a skull. He watched as something scared the poor boy half to death, and laughed as he stood to peak into the place that had frightened him in the first place. With breezy movements, the blonde was standing next to one of two of the survivors that were actually shorter than himself. Patting the boy on his head, he jerked his head in an odd direction and pointed out his friends running in and out of the rib cage of one of the giant, dead beasts.

He smiled up at him before darting off. Naruto watched for a moment before moving with silent steps into the skull. He barely hid himself from Johns as the man walked out with confidence. The blonde ducked in, glancing around with a calculating blue gaze. Someone was in here… His breath hitched in his throat as something moved behind him.

His heart hammered against his chest, his body on fire and completely alert of everything that occurred. The goddamn planet was giving him the wiggins and he would not allow himself to be caught off guard. Turning on his heel, he almost fell into a well built chest, as he reached into a pocket of his pants. Gripping a kunai—something he hadn't had to use in years—he yanked it out, ready for a fight. The man in front of him tilted his head in a silent question.

Naruto's lips were parted slightly as he kept his breathing as soft as possible. He scanned his opponent, taking in his offensive way of carrying himself, and the curiosity that oozed from him. He had to calm his heart before he finally dropped the weapon in his hand. Riddick watched, an eyebrow quirking up in interest. The blonde put his hands up, showing he wasn't going to be a threat to the bald man.

He chuckled, taking a step into the blonde's personal space; a threat to his well-being. "Not even going to give a good fight?"

The rumble of his voice made Naruto's knees quake. It was something he hadn't experienced in centuries of life. Butterflies awoke in his gut and fluttered about, making him a little queasy. The only other person who'd ever made him feel this way was Itachi—And he'd died far too long ago.

Something shifted beneath them, and blue eyes widened in fear. He looked to the ground, his heart speeding back up and his body shaking with fright. God, these things weren't natural…

"Too scared to even scream for me?" Riddick asked in a hushed whisper.

Naruto's gaze snapped up, red sifting in to mix with the blue. "It's not you I'm afraid of…"

He trailed off cryptically, a tremor running up his spine as the things moved on. He let out a slow sigh of relief, his eyes falling shut. Riddick gripped the make-shift shiv in his hand, and tensed as the blonde before him practically collapsed. In reflex, his arms shot out to catch the lithe form, and he cradled the tan face in his free hand.

**tbc**

**Review Please.**

**Much love, Tara…**


	4. Chapter 4

_LAST TIME:_

_"It's not you I'm afraid of…"_

_He trailed off cryptically, a tremor running up his spine as the things moved on. He let out a slow sigh of relief, his eyes falling shut. Riddick gripped the make-shift shiv in his hand, and tensed as the blonde before him practically collapsed. In reflex, his arms shot out to catch the lithe form, and he cradled the tan face in his free hand._

- - -

When Naruto woke, he was surrounded by worried faces. Shooting up, his hands ran over his own body, making sure everything was in it's place. He gazed up at them guiltily, palming the back of his head in a very Uzumaki manor. He shot Johns and Fry a sheepish grin, as he was pulled to his feet by Imam and the pilgrim boys.

He was making friends far too fast for his liking… Looking to the ground where he knew he'd dropped his kunai—his favorite one, too—only to find it missing. His shoulders slumped sadly, and he only looked up when someone asked him a question.

"What the hell happened?" Johns said, waving a hand in front of Naruto's face.

"Oh, you know," The blonde smiled. "The usual."

- - -

Naruto kept avoiding the subject of what had occurred, which only pissed their resident gunman off even more. He'd ask a question; Naruto would somehow magically change the subject. The blonde was sly, and wicked smart, and wanted to keep a secret. Well, if he wanted to keep it; it would damn well be kept.

"Are you ever going to tell me—" Johns was cut off as the pilgrims sprung forward again in a sprint as they spotted a small village.

"No," Naruto said. "I'm not going to tell you."

Johns sighed, looking at the short man next to him. "It seems we've found civilization…"

"Seems we have," He nodded. "Though, I'm willing to bet that it's not inhabited."

- - -

A scrambling sound stopped Paris mid-bit of his caviar. He eased out of his rocker, moving around to the rear edge of the ship and looked down on a shadow ducking under him. Small rocks were still trickling down a dirt rampart just climbed by… someone.

"This now qualifies as the worst fun I've ever had," Paris sneered. "_Stop it_."

There was no response.

War-pick in hands, Paris eased himself to ground-level. He checked the perimeter; looking inside the ship as well as out. There was nobody to be seen. Was he being fucked with? Again? He hoped…

"Jack? Oh, Jack…" He called out softly.

"What?" His voice echoed back from the cargo hold—Not where he expected.

Blades of sunlight streamed through the cracks in the hull as Paris entered to find Shazza and Audrey cutting open containers. They were searching for usable goods. There was an excited yell from outside, and Paris peaked out to see their searching party back from the hunt. They seemed to be in high hopes.

Paris waved, turning back to the two people in the cargo hold. "Tell me that was you."

"Okay, it was me," Jack stood up straight, hands on his hips. "What'd I do now?"

"Assailing my fragile sense of security, that's what…" Paris said, stepping in further.

"What're you goin' on about? She's been right here for the last…" Shazza stopped herself, eyes going wide as the sun blades that cut into the room were momentarily blocked by something passing outside.

Some_one_.

"Zeke?" Shazza probed quietly.

No answer… Jack sprung to the other side of the hold, putting an eyes to a crack there. He pulled back, whirling around to mouth a silent alarm: "RIDDICK!"

Paris went bloodless. Shazza grabbed the war-pick from out of his frozen hands, and moved, catlike, to the main doors and poised there. She was ready to strike. Jack followed, the hunting boomerang clutched tightly in his hand. All eyes watched as the sun blades, winking off and on, charted Riddick's approach. It was as if they were in a magician's sword box, watching the blades shave closer and closer to them.

Suddenly a person appeared in the door way, and Shazza swung hard.

"No!" A voice called out, and Naruto came rushing into view; sliding to a stop in front of the oncoming blade.

Shazza froze, the blade a breath away from Naruto's right eye. She pulled it away with a curse as she saw the stranger standing behind the small blonde. Naruto spun around to face his burned, half naked form. One hand was still clutching the emergency-release lever of his cryo-locker.

"I thought…" He gasped out. "My God, I thought I was the only who—"

He lurched forward toward Naruto, trying to embrace him. Suddenly, loud gunshots echoed across the terrain and blood and brain-bits splattered across the blonde's tan face. The stranger sunk bonelessly to the ground. Zeke stood, not two meters away, pistol leveled but shaking. He read their horrified faces, and understood immediately what he'd just done.

"Oh, lord," Paris said breathlessly.

"It was just somebody else," Jack cried out, but Shazza held the boy back. "From the crash! He was just…"

"Cripes… I thought it was him. The murderin' ratbag," Zeke dropped the pistol, his hands going straight to his head. "I though he was…"

He rushed over to check the dead stranger. As he bent down, Naruto looked up and over at the crash ship. Blood was smeared across his whiskered face, and he licked his lips as he caught sight of the goggled murderer lounging casually in the chair Paris had previously inhabited.

No one else saw him, even as he sprung from his seat, spotting Zeke's breather not too far off.

- - -

"We found a boat," Johns said, watching as Zeke pulled corpse number four—the stranger—on the drag-sled over to the communal grave he'd been digging. "A small skiff. It's not too far away."

"All we need to do is grab some things here to adapt to the circuitry there," Fry commented, handing the strip of cloth from her head to Naruto as a way to clean his face off.

The blonde took it with a bitter smile, and the others all listened with fascination as they told the story of the abandoned village. Naruto, however, walked away a few paces, rubbing his face clean. He couldn't get the image out of his mind, or the taste out of his mouth. Not that it had been the first time he'd seen something like it, but it wasn't like he'd wanted to see more.

With shaky breathes, he chucked the material as far as he could, and ran a hand through his hair. He could use a fucking drink… Apparently someone had heard his silent plea as a bottle was thrust into his face. He followed the trail of taunt muscle back to the face of Mr. William J. Johns, holding the liquor out for him to take.

"It'll just make me more dehydrated," He commented softly, taking it anyway as he downed a quarter of the bottle—anything to make his reality fuzzy for a while.

"True," Johns nodded, walking forward a few steps and pulling Naruto with him. "But it'll make it a little better."

"Only a little," Naruto consented, downing a bit more, and immensely enjoying the burn of it.

- - -

Zeke reached the grave sight. The sun-tarp had fallen to one side, blocking the sight-line between ship and grave. He started to unload the body but noted something he hadn't seen before. There was some kind of opening at the bottom of the grave.

"Now, what the bloody hell…" Zeke muttered, hopping down into the grave.

Riddick was hidden among the spires. He'd been waiting in silence for a chance like this one…

Zeke dropped down onto all fours, looking into the tunnel. There seemed to be some kind of burrow beyond it. He took a handlight off his belt, and shined it into the burrow. It was the last thing he'd ever do.

- - -

More gunshots jarred everyone by the ship, and Naruto dropped the bottle in his hand, eyes wide with horror. He sprinted off, toward the sound of screaming—Zeke's screaming. Shazza and Johns were right behind him. The smell of blood was dancing on the air, and Naruto slipped to a stop before the pit, landing on his ass before sliding under the tarp and into the hole itself.

He stared at Riddick who gripped his bone shiv tightly in one hand. Naruto's kunai was tucked away in the man's belt, and he couldn't help the low growl that slid past his lips. Blue melted away to reveal a deep crimson, and his nails grew impossibly sharp as his aura changed from brick-shitting fear into an undeniable rage.

Shazza hit the grave site before Johns could, and she slapped away the tarp to reveal Riddick and Naruto squaring off. She looked own and screamed at the sight of blood smeared there…

Riddick sprung away, loping through the spires, running from the scene of the crime. He turned a blind corner, and something nearly blew his head off at close range. He hit the ground, and a boot stepped down on his neck, keeping him there.

"Same crap, different planet, huh?" Johns growled, shotgun pointed at the man's head.

**TBC**

**review please**

**much love, Tara**


	5. Chapter 5

"Same crap, different planet, huh?" Johns growled, shotgun pointed at the man's head.

- - -

Johns had dragged Riddick back to the ship, and Fry and the Chrislams watched as he beat him like a chained dog. Naruto ran over, Shazza in toe and the blonde almost collapsed as his breathing came in shallow pants. It was like he was stuck in his cryo-locker all over again…

Panting, he staggered up right and over to Johns, tugging at him. "Ease up, ease up. Johns!"

Johns let himself get pulled away—only to have Shazza start punching Riddick.

"What'd you do with 'im?" She snarled angrily, tears in her eyes. "You bloody sick animal, what'dja do with me Zeke?"

Naruto cursed, releasing a still fuming Johns to get a hold on Shazza. He pulled her back, and she fell into him, crying against his chest like a child. Naruto eased her to the ground, his eyes still a deep, blood red as he cooed to her softly. Stroking her hair, he gestured over to the grave site as a silent command to Johns.

"Go show them…" Naruto said. "I've got things here. I can chain him up."

Shazza only sobbed harder as Imam came over, pulling her away from the still shaking blonde. He struggled to his feet, and over to Riddick who was puffing on the ground. Inhaling with a hiss, Naruto bent down and helped the man to his feet and dragged him into the ship.

- - -

Fry and Johns stood over the grave. It was a gory mess, but there was no sign of Zeke. Johns had Riddick's confiscated shiv, but not the kunai—That, Naruto had already taken.

"He used that?" Fry gestured to the weapon.

"Sir Shiv-a-lot," Johns shook his head. "He likes to cut."

"So why isn't it all bloody?" Fry questioned, turning to Johns, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I assume he licked it clean."

- - -

Naruto leaned across from the man he'd chained up nice and tight. He noticed how he was listening to the voices outside, just as the blonde had learned to do so long ago. The blonde jumped though when Fry entered, looking at the bald man hard.

"So, where is he?" She asked, her face screwed up in disgust.

Riddick turned away slowly, revealing his missing goggles. Fry glanced over to Naruto, who twirled the black object around a single finger. Riddick's eyes were close tight. For some reason, he wouldn't look at either one of them.

"Tell me about the sounds," Fry commanded. "You told them you heard something right before…"

No response.

"If you don't talk to me, Johns'll take another crack it—at your skull," She warned.

"Mean the whispers?" Riddick asked cryptically with a low rumble.

It sent the butterflies skittering about in his stomach. Naruto gulped, and Riddick faced him blindly, inhaling deep as if to catch all of something that smelled unbelievably good. Naruto sank back against the metal wall behind him, his heart racing, and not in a way he wanted it too. The smell of lust wafted into the air, and it emitted from the one man who he'd expected to only ever feel death coming from.

Appearances were deceiving… His breath hitched as Riddick tensed mildly within his chains. That lust was aimed at Naruto, and Riddick knew the Naruto could feel it—That's what was so bad about it. It was directed towards him and he could already feel the man's hands on his skin, caressing him. Even though the only thing that was happening was a silent exchange of pheromones.

"What whispers?" Fry asked, stepping closer, but keeping a safe distance. She didn't even notice the way Naruto gripped the wall behind him. "Riddick, what whispers?"

"The ones tellin' me to go for the sweet spot—just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down. The abdominal aorta," He turned his face back to Fry. "What a gusher."

"Metallic taste to it, human blood," Naruto added shakily, and Fry didn't even glance over.

"But if you cut it with a peppermint schnapps, that goes away," Riddick chuckled, eyes still closed as he hid his face in the shadows. "Course, that's more for winter. Summertime, I take mine straight."

Fry stared blankly at him. Riddick got a sick satisfaction from his role as the Boogeyman. If fear was the only kind of respect he could get, he'd grab it with both hands. Fry shook her head, then. She was scared of him, sure. But she didn't believe him for shit.

"Why don't we try the truth, now?" She said coldly.

Head shaking a beat, then he spoke. "All you people are so scared of me—an' most days, I'd take that as a compliment—but it ain't me you gotta worry about now."

"Show me your eyes," She commanded.

Again, he turned away, facing Naruto once more. This time with a pleading aura about him. Naruto stumbled forward a bit, before freezing, shaking his head. Riddick sighed, sitting with his eyes screwed shut tight, anticipating the pain.

"_Show me_, Riddick," Fry hissed.

"Come closer…" He muttered.

Both blondes shuffled forward a bit.

He jerked forward, straining against his bindings. His eyes had snapped open, revealing deep, beautiful pools of silver. There was no iris or pupil, just one mixed color. Deep within there was a jewel-like shine; it unsettled Naruto to stare into something so lovely. It was like staring into the eyes of a starved jaguar.

"You did this?" Fry asked. "To yourself?"

"Slam doctor," Riddick grunted, falling back into his seat. "Well, we called him 'doctor'."

"Heard about shinin' your eyes, just never seen it done," Naruto mumbled still locked onto those gleaming orbs.

"Fairly fuckin' ironic, wouldn't you say?" He chuckled, looking at the blood with his silver gaze. "Slamlight's so dim that you go and get your eyeballs taken out and shined up—then you wind up here. Three ass-kick suns."

Naruto barked out a hollow laugh. He knew how situations like that occurred all the time. He'd been caught up in more than one or two of them during the days of his prime as a ninja. He shook his head, toying with the goggles in his hands, and noting how those silver orbs watched his every move.

Jack emerged suddenly from the shadows, a look of awe on his face, and Naruto suddenly realized something. "Where can I get eyes like that?"

Naruto's own abnormal orbs widened as he scanned him, seeing sharp curves hidden well underneath the boy's baggy clothes—_he_ wasn't a _boy_. _She_ glanced between the two men with vigor, her face hopeful for acceptance. Riddick chuckled, looking to the young one with a bitter grin.

He paused a moment before speaking. "First you gotta kill a few people—"

"Riddick," Naruto hissed in warning, snatching up Jack's wrist and pulling her out of the room, but not before tossing the man his goggles.

"Maybe I did do a few people," His voice rasped out as the shiny black lenses landed in his lap and he watched the blonde walked away. "But not this one. Not this time."

"Then where is he?" Fry asked, voice raised. "He's not in the hole. We looked."

Riddick looked to her then, a wry smirk on his lips. "Look deeper."

- - -

Chain looped over one shoulder, Fry headed back to the grave site. Johns, Imam, Shazza, Jack, and Naruto all kept pace with her as Naruto clipped into a harness. He sniffed, rolling his shoulders as a way to relax himself enough to go down _there_. He knew something was down there already, but he didn't want to put anyone else in danger. He could take care of himself when it came to 'things'; he was pretty sure that no one else really could.

"I _know_ what happened—he went off on the guy, buried him on the hill somewhere, and now he's trying to—" Johns was cut off went Naruto shot him a cold glare.

"Let's just be sure," Fry commented, glancing between the two of them.

"I _am_ sure," Johns growled. "Look, murders aside, Riddick belongs in the Asshole Hall of Fame. He loves the jaw-jackin', loves making you afraid, 'cuz that's all he has. And you're playing right into—"

"_We're gonna find the body_," Naruto hissed over his shoulder, jumping down into the pit as they stopped above it. "Christ, Johns, you're a cop. Why do I have to tell you this? We have to go down and find it."

"Well, don't ask me to," He said harshly to the blonde.

"Thought you didn't believe his story," Naruto commented venomously.

"I _don't_," Johns said from above. "But that ground looks none too stable, and I don't want anyone—"

"If you're afraid, I'll go." Jack offered up chirpily.

"Nobody else is going down but me, okay?" Naruto snapped up, hiding the quiver in his voice.

Johns slid down into the pit, gripping the boy's shoulder and turning him towards him. "Hey, bein' all ballsy with your life doesn't mean shit. You couldn't have saved Zeke anymore than any of us could've."

"What, you think I'm doing this to prove something?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"You said it, not me," Johns shrugged, his eyes cool, calm. "There's no use going down there when there's no need to."

"Thanks for the tip, Johns," He said with a fake cheerfulness, before his face darkened with his eyes. "Now, get outta my way."

Johns put his hands up in surrender, his face set in a deep scowl. Climbing from the pit, Johns took the wire rope and tossed it down to the blonde below. Naruto snatched it up easily, hooking it to his web belt. Dropping down, he peered into the burrow. He looked back up at the halo of faces above him, then slithered through the hole and out of sight.

Letting his eyes adjust, Naruto pats around lightly before calling on his demonic powers to help. His eyes bled red, and he found Zeke's handlight with speed. Trying to turn it on, he cursed at it's state of brokenness. He moved around easily, making an uphill turn. He spotted a spray of light ahead, and wormed forward to reach it.

Another chamber, wide and just large enough for him to stand in. Shafts of daylight bore down into the room. More old bones littered the floor. He moved into one shift, and looked up at an earthen funnel. The inside of a spire.

"They're hollow," He muttered to himself, and froze as a clicking noise sounded behind him.

He slowly turned toward the sound, not really wanting to see. His breath came shallow once more—the most he'd panted since his sparring days with Sasuke. There was something there. Something just beyond the cusp of light. Something unfolding. An icy hand gripped his heart. Soundlessly, he backtracked his rope. He froze once more as something shadowed across the exit.

His hands fell to the ground as he crouched down. He patted the ground softly, watching the reaction of the beast only feet away from him. His pupils narrowed into slits, and his hand hit something soft, and fleshy. Gulping, he gripped the unknown object and held it up to the light only to drop it once more with a small yelp. It was one of Zeke's boot—with a bit of Zeke still in it.

The whole chamber came alive around him. Shadows unfurled, skulking the perimeter, circling. Something impaled the boot out of his hand, reclaiming it. It was faster than a lightening strike. He's paralyzed for a beat before he sprung into action. Rolling back into the shaft of daylight, he jumped straight up into the spire.

Bracing against the walls, Naruto tried to walk his way up. Suddenly, his chain goes taunt. Did it get caught on something? Or had something caught it? Naruto screamed, pounding the earthen walls.

"Here!" He shouted. "I'm in here, here, _here!_"

- - -

"Did you hear…" Imam trailed off, looking down into the bloody gravesite.

They dropped down, and suspended their heads over the hole, listening. There was nothing, now. Maybe they were just being paranoid…

- - -

"I'm over here in the—" Naruto gasped as something tugged on his chain. "Oh, god…"

Kicking hard at the dirt walls, he tried to gouge foot holds. He pulled himself up a bit higher, but he couldn't get far before another, stronger tug had him losing altitude; slipping closer to the madly clicking lair below. He screamed again, trying to jettison his belt, but he couldn't brace himself up and undo the belt at the same time.

Suddenly, something exploded near his head. Daylight streamed in, followed by faces. They broke through the spire with a pick-ax. Hands reached inside and birth him into daylight. He panted, tears of fear in his eyes as he shook like he'd been standing out in an ice storm. Sweat poured down his face, and he leaned over, hands to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Jack held out _her_ breather to the blonde, and Naruto took a hit off of it. Sobs still racked his body as he tossed it to the ground, running a hand through his choppy, blonde hair.

"We got you… It's okay, it's okay," Johns said, settling his hands on the smaller man's quivering shoulders. "We got you now…"

"The child heard you," Imam spoke up as Naruto laid his forehead against Johns' chest as a way to anchor himself. "Before any of us could even—"

"Did you find him?" Shazza cut in, her face showing no concern for the boy. "You find Zeke?"

Half insane, Naruto laughed and stepped away from Johns to give the woman a cold glare. "It wasn't Riddick… It was—It was—Goddamn, that was stupid…" Naruto looked over his shoulder at the gaping hole in the hard dirt spire. "But it wasn't Riddick. Somethin' else is down there that got Zeke."

Fry nodded, stepping up and laying a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You did well."

"Lemme finish," He said breathlessly. "Something's _down there_. It got Zeke and it almost got—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence when his line went taunt once more. With a loud, harsh scream, Naruto went flying back with the force on the other end of the line. He flew back into the spire, and barely caught himself on the edges of the hole they'd made. The others grabbed at his flailing limbs. It was a tug-of-war then, human hands on one end; unseen 'hands' on the other—And the humans were losing.

"Cut the fucking rope!" Naruto shouted, hands clawing and gripping at the dirt; his eyes going red all over again. "Cut it!"

Imam unsheathed his blade, and sliced through the rope with one fell swoop.

**tbc**

**REVIEW PLEASE!!!! **

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	6. Chapter 6

"Cut the fucking rope!" Naruto shouted, hands clawing and gripping at the dirt; his eyes going red all over again. "Cut it!"

Imam unsheathed his blade, and sliced through the rope with one fell swoop.

- - -

A shadow fell over Riddick, but he didn't look up. Johns stared down at him, conflict clearly written across his face. Gulping back his pride, he cleared his throat to get the big man's attention. Riddick still didn't look up.

"Found somethin' worse than me, huh?" He asked, his voice lit with amusement.

"We're movin'," Johns sneered, gripping the gun in his hand tightly. "And I'm just wondering if I shouldn't lighten the load right now."

Riddick finally looked up; his gaze meeting Johns'. There was a silent understanding between them, and Johns ratcheted his shotgun. Pointing it at Riddick's head, he hesitated before pulling the trigger. It exploded next to Riddick's head. The chains that held his wrists were completely useless, and Riddick pulled his arms into himself and tilted his head in question.

"Want you to remember this moment, Riddick," Johns stated smugly. "The way it coulda gone, but didn't."

Riddick rubbed an ear, momentarily deaf from the echoing loudness of the gun going off next to his head. "Say that again."

"Here's the deal," Johns bit out. "You work without the chains, without the bit—without the shivs. You help us get off this rock—"

"For what?" Riddick looked up, slightly appalled as he pulled his goggles on. "The honor of goin' back to some asshole of a cell?"

"Truth is, Riddick, I'm tired of this head-up shit," Johns said wearily. "I wanna be free of you as much as you wanna be free of me."

They paused a beat. The future rearranged in Riddick's head a moment. He chuckled with disbelief.

"You'd cut me loose, boss?"

"Only if we both get outta this alive," Johns nodded. "And there may be a way."

He offered a hand for Riddick to take. To help him to his feet. To seal the deal he'd just made with the devil. Riddick just stared at it, silver eyes calculating behind black lenses.

"My recommendation: Do me," He growled out. "Don't take the chance that I'll get shiv-happy on your wannabe ass. Ghost me, mother fucker. I would if I were you."

"If you were me, I'd kill us both," He replied with a small scoff. "C'mon, you wanna sit at the grown-up table, or not?"

There was another beat. Riddick reached out slowly for the hand—and instead grabbed the shotgun with his off-hand. There was a blur of movement, and a switch of positions. Suddenly, Johns was staring at the eyes of his own shotgun.

"Want you to remember this moment," Riddick said with a mean smirk. "And how it coulda gone."

He pumped the shotgun, letting it spit out the blue shells over Johns. He dropped the empty gun onto the metal ground and walked away.

- - -

The blue sun was setting on the horizon. Naruto inhaled the thin air, and sighed it out slowly. He was acclimating faster than everyone else. He wasn't sure if it was because he was part demon, or if it was because he'd only used a breather once his entire time there. Facing forward once more, he noted the yellow and red suns rising high into the sky.

They were headed toward the settlement. Fry, Imam, and himself were lugging the power cell between the three of them, but the real load was being shouldered by Riddick. He'd been promoted from murderous monster to beast of burden. He tugged a drag-sled not far behind him; heavy with their cargo.

"So just like that," Paris asked, looking at Johns. "Wave your little wand and he's one of us now."

"Didn't say that," Johns shook his head, glancing back at Riddick. "But least this way I don't have to worry about falling asleep and not wakin' up."

Imam tossed hi bit over his cloaked shoulder. "I feel we owe Mr. Riddick amends."

"Oh, right," Shazza rolled her bright green eyes. "Let's all line up and beg his forgiveness. Right you are."

"At least give the man some oxygen," Imam said, and Naruto was inclined to nod with agreement as he let himself look back at the man's struggling form.

"He's happy just bein' vertical," Johns said dryly. "Leave him be."

"So," Jack looked up at Naruto and Fry, hoping to get a positive answer from one of them. "Can I talk to him, now?"

"_No_," Johns and Shazza snapped in unison.

Naruto chuckled softly, shaking his head at the small girl and her antics. Jack sighed, scuffling her feet about a moment before glancing up at Naruto. The curiosity was evident on her face, and he waited in silence for her oncoming question. She opened her mouth before shutting it. Only to open it back up.

"Well," His eyes darted to hers. "Spit it out. Gaping fish is rather unbecoming for someone as pretty as you."

Her face flushed, and she looked around in panic to make sure no one had heard the 'pretty' comment. "Where… Where can I get eyes like yours?"

Naruto barked out a laughed. He'd figured she'd ask eventually. Closing his eyes, he concentrated and let the red bleed into the blue. When he opened them again, they were a deep crimson as he looked down at her. She smiled in awe, gaze darting between each eye.

"Whoa…" She said breathlessly. "That is _so_ cool."

"Thanks," Naruto chuckled. "Where I come from, not many people thought it was as cool."

"What's it mean?" Jack asked with vigor. "Is it, like, genetics. Something you inherited from your parents or something?"

He weighed his options; if he answered truthfully it could open up a whole new can of worms that didn't need to be added to their over-flowing fishing pond. "I suppose you could say that."

"Does that mean I can't get them?" She asked in sudden disappointment.

Glancing at Fry, he told her silently that he was dropping back for a while. The woman nodded, and Naruto let go of his part of the haul. Stopping, he turned and face Jack full on. He dropped down onto one knee as the others moved past with ease, and smiled up at the girl.

"You don't want me eyes," He stated softly.

"Yes, I really do!" Jack exclaimed.

A look of sorrow passed across his narrow features, and he blinked away the red. Only bright, bright blue remained. It was bright like a summer's sky on earth-that-was. Naruto's home only a few hundred years before. Resting his hands on Jack's upper arms, he gave her a scolding look.

"You really don't," He said, breaking out into a sly grin. "They're far too dangerous, my eyes. They hurt people. You don't want that, Jack. You're a pretty girl and—"

Jack gasped, her hands darting up to cover Naruto's mouth. "Shh! Don't tell anyone." Her eyes darted between the group ahead, and the two behind. "Please."

The blonde nodded, smiling against her palm. "Wff fnk mmm."

"What?" Jack held back a laugh, pulling her hands away.

"I said," Naruto smiled, standing back up and taking her hand. "I wouldn't think about it. I'm not going to tell anyone. Promise."

Jack preened at the attention, gripping his hand tightly. "You're pretty cool, ya know? I thought you were pretty brave goin' down into the hole."

Naruto gulped at the mention of it. His eyes strayed to the dirt he walked upon, and fear shot through him like a lightening bolt. He didn't want to know what happened to all of those villagers, but after going underground it didn't leave much to the imagination. Everyone on this planet was killed… The only question he had was why the things beneath them weren't attacking.

- - -

Paris dropped a wine bottle. It rolled soundlessly across the dirt. Naruto watched it in keen fascination, urging Jack to go forward to catch up with the three pilgrim boys not too far ahead. She nodded and ran off, not hiding the frown on her face. The blonde dropped back a bit, to where he was almost parallel to Riddick.

The bald man stopped as a bottle clinked against the tip of his boot. Bending down, he snatched it up. He didn't even glance at the vintage as Paris came bumbling up. The over-polished peacock smiled in that condescending way people got shot for every day. Naruto looked the bottle over… It was the good stuff.

"Paris P. Ogilvie," Paris introduced himself primly. "Antiquities dealer, entrepreneur."

"Richard B. Riddick," He shook the man's outstretched hand. "Escaped convict, murderer."

Paris waited for a moment, gulping back fear as the large man stared him down. Instead of returning the bottle, like Paris so obviously expected, Riddick opened it and took a long drink. With a snooty huff, Paris spun on one foot and hurried off to catch up with the others.

"You know, if I owned Hell and this planet," Paris tossed over his shoulder at Naruto. "I believe I'd rent this out and live in Hell."

Chuckling, the blonde shook his head. "Hell isn't pretty. I think you'd find your mind changed fast once you paid it a visit."

With another huff, a more snarky one at that, Paris sped off. Naruto scoffed at his pompousness, rubbing the back of his head as he let his gaze fall to the ground. Something shifted under him, and he couldn't fight the shiver that ran along his spine. It was scary as fuck not knowing what was going on. Even if he basically couldn't be killed—That was only basically! There was still a chance he'd be torn to shreds, and that really didn't sound like a good time to him.

A bottle was shoved into his face. Looking back up, he followed the offered drink back to the man he ought to fear. If he was actually _was _a measly twenty years old, he _should_ be afraid of this man. But he was neither twenty nor frightened. Looking back to the drink, he debated for a fraction of a second before snatching up the bottle. He practically chugged half of it's contents.

"I don't think I caught your name during the introduction," Riddick said, never looking over as he struggled to pull the haul behind him.

"You wouldn't have," Naruto hissed, letting the burn of the liquor envelope his mind.

He licked what was left on his mouth away with a quick dart of his tongue. Riddick glanced at him, then, watching the movement with satisfaction. That smell of lust hit Naruto like a brick to the face, and the blonde glanced over with wide eyes. He handed back the bottle with a jerky little movement, and shifted his walking so that he edged away from Riddick just a bit.

Not that he wasn't attracted to the man, too. It was just that he was always getting himself into trouble when it came to matters of sexual attraction. First Sasuke, who turned out to be a total douche. Then Itachi, who wound up being less douche-ie than originally thought, but still ended up dead. After that it was Kakashi, and well… Let's just say that didn't end too well.

Letting out a low, alcohol scented sigh, he finally said, "Naruto Uzumaki. Immortal traveler, ex-ninja and half-demon extraordinaire."

Riddick looked over in an incredulous surprise. "You're kiddin' me, right?"

"Nope," Naruto shook his head, picking up a little speed as he smirked back at the man. "I haven't joked around in over three thousand years."

- - -

**TBC**

**Much love, **

**Tara**


	7. Chapter 7

_Letting out a low, alcohol scented sigh, he finally said, "Naruto Uzumaki. Immortal traveler, ex-ninja and half-demon extraordinaire."_

_Riddick looked over in an incredulous surprise. "You're kiddin' me, right?"_

_"Nope," Naruto shook his head, picking up a little speed as he smirked back at the man. "I haven't joked around in over three thousand years."_

_- - -_

They'd arrived at the settlement. The skiff was in shambles; barely useable. Fry was trying to get the power cell they'd been dragging aboard the ship as the others walked around it's exterior.

"I mean, usually I can appreciate antiques, but, uh…" Paris trailed off, looking up at the skiff in mild disgust.

"Little ratty-ass thing," Johns commented, humor laced in his voice as he watched Naruto dive in to help Fry with the power cell.

Fry grunted, smiling at Naruto as he helped. "Nothing we can't repair—"

"So long as the electrical adapts," Naruto pointed out as he cut in.

"Not exactly a star-jumper," Shazza said, looking the skiff over with a critical gaze.

"Doesn't need to be," Riddick rumbled out, following Johns' gaze to Naruto and back… Interesting. "Use this to get back up to the Sol-Track Shipping Lanes, stick out a thumb. You'll get picked up. Right?"

"How'd you know that?" Fry asked in disbelief.

Riddick chuckled, catching Naruto's attention before he spoke. " 'Cuz it was my plan…"

- - -

Fry's hands worked with rapid speed and precision as she adapted the power cell to the skiffs older, but reliable electrical system. She shocked herself and cursed, jerking a hand back as the cell kicked in. Lights flickered on throughout the ship. Fry smiled triumphantly at Johns.

"Okay, that should buy us a systems check," She said, standing and making her way over to the screens. "But we'll need more cells."

"How many?" He asked.

"15 6-gigs here… 90 gigs total," Fry muttered to herself, eyes scanning the screens. "Our ship carries 20-gig cells. So… Five. Five total to launch."

"25 kilos each, huh?" Johns grimaced.

"Old sand-cat outside," Shazza offered in. "See if I can't get it up and chuggin'."

"Do it. And if you need an extra hand, tap our problem child out—" Johns cut himself off, looking around with wide eyes. "Where's Naruto? And where's Riddick?"

- - -

He was walking the ghost town, and found dead gardens… upended chairs and furniture… Broken skylights… Behind him, Jack and the youngest of the pilgrims stalked the curious monster in their midst. Naruto wasn't far behind them, a playful grin on his lips as he crept up on them. Riddick froze, and in sequence all three of the others froze. They all watched as he bent down, digging in the dirt for something they couldn't see.

He excavated a pair of broken eyeglasses… A shattered light… and a child's toy. It was a small tin robot, timeless. He thumbed the solar panel clean, and the robot warbled to life. It's legs moved in sequence with it's arms, walking in air as it's eyes flashed red.

Riddick stood and pulled at the doors. Locked. He peered in through a small filthy window, catching a glimpse of movement within. There was nothing a second later. Pulling back, Riddick glanced down. Kicking some windblown trash from a door side sign, he studied it for a second before looking back to the building.

Johns appeared out of nowhere, there to keep Riddick on a short leash. "Missin' the party. C'mon…" He turned away, leading the man back to the skiff.

"Missin' the party. C'mon," He tossed over his shoulder, and Jack jumped out, running after them.

Naruto was about to follow as well when he spotted the pilgrim boy ducking into the Coring Room. With a frown, the blonde followed. He had to squint in the dim light of the larger room when he entered, and slowly but surely started searching for the small, adventure seeking Chrislam. The blonde could barely make out the sight of a vertical coring drill as the center of the room.

- - -

"…and for this, our gift of drink, we give thanks in the name of our Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him, and to our Lord, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and to his father, Allah the Compassionate and the Merciful." Imam said with a large, white smile.

"The _strangest_ religion…" Paris muttered to himself.

He finished going around the group, pouring cloudy water into their each of their goblets. Riddick received the last of it, the part with most sediment. They all took a long drink of the aqua; nothing had ever tasted finer. No one noticed the two mission people…

"Perhaps we should toast our hosts," Paris said, waving a hand about. "Who were these people, anyway? Miners?"

"Looks like geologists," Shazza said. "Advance team, moves around from rock to rock."

"Musta crapped out here, huh?" Johns chortled, taking another drink from his cup.

"But why did they leave their ship?" Jack asked, and everyone fell silent.

It was a question no one had chosen to deal with yet. Imam finally realized that there were two water glasses unspoken for. His smile slowly faded into a deep frown.

- - -

An attached solar panel began to move above, orienting toward sunlight. When it caught the full brunt of the suns rays, storm shutters unlatched on the roof. Naruto looked up sharply as the noise caught his attention. That sound then brought up another sound… A sort of _skittering_.

Bright blue eyes scanned with a fluid rapidity, searching quicker and quicker for the young boy. Finally finding him, he rushed over and pulled him the close. The boy was staring straight up into the rafters, eyes squinting as if he was trying to see. Naruto looked back up. Was there something in the horizontal beams he hadn't seen?

- - -

"Well…" Johns cleared his throat awkwardly, looking at Jack. "It's just a skiff. Disposable, really."

"Like an emergency life-raft, right?" Paris joined in.

"Sure," Shazza nodded. "Coulda had a real drop-ship take them off-planet. Long gone."

"A toast to their ghosts, then…" Paris said, raising his goblet.

They all followed suit. One by one they raised their glasses high into the sunny sky. Only Riddick was the one to stay level. He took a gulp of his water, and pissed in the metaphorical punchbowl.

"Didn't leave, these people," He said low, eyes down. "Whatever got Zeke, got them. They're all dead."

They all looked over, horror etched across their faces.

"What, you don't really think they left with their clothes on the lines?" He continued. "Photos on the walls?"

"Maybe they had weight limits," Shazza argued. "You don't know."

"I know you don't uncrate your emergency ship unless there's a fucking emergency," He snapped back.

"Rag it, Riddick," Johns growled. "Nobody wants your theories on—"

"So what happened?" Fry interrupted. "Where are they, then?"

Fry seemed to be the only other one there willing to look at the reality of thing. Or at least glance it's way. At the window of the skiff, Imam scanned the outside. Worry was written on his face, and he turned to the group with sweat on his brow.

"Has anyone seen the young one? Ali?" Imam asked, voice cracking. "And the short one? Naruto?"

Riddick glanced between Imam and Fry. "Has anyone checked the coring room?"

- - -

The shutters were yawning open, spreading daylight over Ali and Naruto. Soon, the room was being flooded with light and those beams hit the rafters. They were encrusted with thick nests of… something. The skittering grew louder, and more agitated.

With lightening reflexes, Naruto pulled the young boy with him into a sliver of daylight in the wall. The breach they'd crawled through. The blonde moved quickly, shoving the boy through, but he wasn't fast enough to get out himself.

The sunlight hit the first nest, and the room exploded with life.

- - -

A scream echoed through the settlement. All eyes turned in the same direction as they hear the blood curdling cry. Imam rushed forward, muttering his student's name with worry. Everyone followed right after, all of them heading right toward the sound of the noise.

- - -

It was complete chaos in the room. More and more nests were exploding into individual creatures. Winged hatchlings moved like bats in a fire, talons hacking and slashing. Naruto was dragged away from his exit, small cuts appearing on his tan face. He yelled in anger and in fear, swiping at each winged beast with clawed hands.

He heard Ali scream for him outside, and Naruto yanked out his kunai. Falling back into a defensive pose, his chakra whipped around him. It was bright like a light and it burned them away. Naruto's eyes were red and slitted, like a cat's would be, as he took on wave after wave of razor sharp talons.

He could only kill so many…

The lock on the sliding doors was broken. People and daylight poured into the room. Naruto looked over his shoulder, everything flooding back into him with a snap of his fingers. He gasped, stumbling back a few steps as the hatchlings swarmed. They moved with a gang-intelligence as they circled the room in a wave of darkness. They were like a smokey, black cloud as they soared high into the rafters. Then, they plunged into the coring shaft, carrying their squeals and skitters with them down into the pitch. A shocked silence fell upon them as they all stared at Naruto's torn form.

He was shaking again, his skin shredded with lines of red. His heart hammered in his chest as he turned to face the group. Fry and Shazza gasped in silent horror at the bloody, mangled sight of the boy. Johns took a step forward as the blonde wavered; swaying on his feet. Knees buckling beneath him, Naruto slumped to the dirt covered floor.

"The boy," He croaked, blood slipping across his lower lip. "Ali… is he okay?"

Imam nodded, breezing past all others to embrace Naruto's quivering form. "Thanks to you, he is."

"Good," He sighed, licking away the blood with a quick dart of his tongue.

Johns, Fry, and Shazza inched forward, curiosity getting the better of them. They peered down into the coring shaft where all those things had disappeared to, and cringed at the sight below. It was littered with human bones. The skeletons of the settlers were scattered about and picked clean.

**Tbc…**

**Review please,**

**Much love,**

**Tara**

**ALSO! I'm starting a poll- - -**

**A) ends with Pitch Black and epilogue **

**B) continues on into Chronicles of Riddick**

**or**

**C) has a Pitch Black alternate ending –could end there—but I also continue into Chronicles of Riddick **


	8. Chapter 8

_Johns, Fry, and Shazza inched forward, curiosity getting the better of them. They peered down into the coring shaft where all those things had disappeared to, and cringed at the sight below. It was littered with human bones. The skeletons of the settlers were scattered about and picked clean. _

- - -

Against the blue sunrise, the Chrislams held a prayer service. They blessed Ali's savior, Naruto, and prayed for luck and hope through the rest of their journey. Jack and Paris attended. Riddick watched from afar while silently listening to the conversation in the room behind him. The others had gathered within the Coring Room; looking it over and studying it.

"Why was the door chained up?" Shazza asked, wringing out an alcohol soaked cloth to clean Naruto's wounds. "Why the bloody hell would they lock themselves in like that?"

Johns shook his head, watching as Shazza wiped away the blood on Naruto's tan face. "Not sure, but—"

"Other buildings weren't secure," Riddick said, strolling in casually, a gleam on his goggles. "So they ran here."

"Heaviest doors," Naruto added with a bitter grin, snatching up the cloth from her hands, and ignoring her shocked face as the abrasions on his skin healed with ease. "Thought they'd be safe inside, but…"

He trailed off, eyes straying to the hole in the ground as Riddick picked up the tale end of his sentence. "Someone forgot to lock the back door."

Shazza stood as Naruto did, and followed him over to the edge of the pit. She kept a weary eye on him as he moved, not wanting him to collapse like he had the first time he tried to stand. Riddick meandered over as well, catching a glimpse of the human remains below before glancing at Naruto. He watched, his face a blank mask as the younger man's skin healed before his very eyes. There was something dangerous in that, and it sent a little quake of excitement shooting through Riddick at the thought of someone who might be able to last as long as him in a fight. Shazza suddenly turned to him, bright eyes taking him in.

"So that's what come of me Zeke," She said, voice strained. "An' you saw it. You was right there."

Riddick nodded, but his gaze never met hers. Instead, it stayed just over her pale shoulder. Naruto shifted as he felt the mercury colored gaze; doing his best to keep his own eyes downcast. His wounds were healing so fast they barely itched. Riddick seemed to scan him over with his heated gaze, and it made Naruto a might nervous.

"But you were tryin' to kill him too," She added, giving him a calculative look.

"Just wanted his O2," He rolled his broad shoulders back in a shrug. "Though I noticed he tired to ghost my ass. When he shot up that stranger instead."

Shazza averted her gaze in shame. She couldn't deny that her husband had tried to kill him. She saw him differently now. In a new light. She felt a pang of regret and guilt course through her as she thought about how she'd beat him while he was in his chains. Hesitating, she took off her breather.

"Take it," She muttered, holding it out for him.

Riddick looked at it with suspicion, "What, it's broken?"

"No, it should have a couple of hits left," Shazza said, shoving it into his chest. "Startin' to acclimate, anyhow. Take it."

He accepted it awkwardly, and sucked down pure O2. Shazza walked away, a small smile on her face. Naruto looked longingly at the silver container for a brief moment, but jerked his gaze away when Riddick glanced over. Gripping the mouth piece, Riddick held it out to the blonde. A silent offer of comfort. Blue eyes looked up timidly before he reached up, wrapping his hand around the thin tube. Some of his hand over-lapped onto Riddick's, and as soon as their skin touched, an electric zip ran up Naruto's spine.

The sent of lust hit the air, and the smaller male bit his lower lip as Riddick tensed. They could both feel it. Smell it. Leaning in, he sucked in a deep breathe of O2; eyes never leaving Riddick's goggles. Even as he sighed in relief—the air flooding his lungs—he couldn't look away. Something about him was completely alluring; the danger he sensed was the type that always got him into trouble.

Only then did Naruto realize those feelings of lust were rolling off of _both _of them. Jerking his hand away, he cradled it to his chest like it had been burned. He looked away with a quickness, eyes straying to the door. He blushed softly, running a hand through his hair before wiping the back of it across his mouth.

"Arigato," He muttered softly, walking from the room quickly.

He had to escape the emotions he'd trapped inside so long before. He wouldn't get involved. He couldn't get involved. If he did, he would just end up watching everyone and everything he cared about grow old and die—like so many times before. Not to mention… after seeing the Coring Room, he had a hunch about the planet they were on. It wasn't a good one, but he had to go see.

Johns scowled, watching the exchanges closely. He didn't much like the idea of Riddick being promoted to oxygen-breathing human. He definitely didn't like Riddick getting all snuggly with their resident hero. Walking over to Fry, he nudged her softly to get her attention.

"Let's board this up and get the hell gone," He said. "They seem to stick to the dark, so if we stick to daylight, should be all—"

"60 years ago," Fry cut in.

"Wha'?" Johns asked, looking at her in confusion.

Fry gestured to the coring samples that lined the room. Some were laid out on counters, and Fry was holding one tightly. She'd been studying their labels, only just then putting two and two together.

"Core-samples are dated," She continued. "Last one is 60 years ago. This month."

"Yeah?" Shazza looked over Fry's shoulder, and the smaller woman gulped at her closeness. "What's special about that?"

"Dunno," Fry turned her head, her face extremely close to Shazza's. "Maybe nothing, but…"

Her eyes went wide. Dropping the sample, she sprinted from the room. The other three followed after her, Shazza calling her name. Fry finally remembered what she and Naruto had seen when they'd first found the settlement…

- - -

The orrery. A little dark room in a little abandoned shack. Naruto was already in there when they arrived, staring at the year-counter as it turned slowly. He knew even as it clicked over to year '45' and Fry opened the drive box. Everyone watched as she turned the main gear. The orbits accelerated.

56… 57… 58… 59… 60…

They all saw it. A giant ringed world eclipsed the suns, plunging their planet into darkness. Persistent, never ending darkness. Naruto shook his head at the irony of it all. Just his luck to go getting on a ship that crashed on the _most_ inhospitable planet in the explored universe.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" Johns growled.

Riddick let out a dark chuckle, and all eyes were on his casually dangerous form. "Not afraid of the dark, are you?"

- - -

**tbc**

**please review and keep voting!!! **

**a) stop with P.B.**

**b) continue with C.O.R.**

**c) have an ending in P.B. but also continue onto C.O.R. for those who want it**

**THANKS**

**And much love,**

**Tara**


	9. Chapter 9

"_Are you fuckin' kidding me?" Johns growled. _

_Riddick let out a dark chuckle, and all eyes were on his casually dangerous form. "Not afraid of the dark, are you?"_

- - -

Fry crossed the dirt yard in wide strides. "We need those cells from the crash ship. Shit, still gotta check out the hull, patch the wings…"

"Let's wait on the power cells," Johns said, keeping pace with her.

"Wait for what?" She snapped at him. "Until it's so dark we can't even find our way back to—"

"We're not sure _when_ it happens," Johns argued. "So let's not—"

"_Get the fucking cells over here_, Johns" She hissed, glaring heatedly. "What's the discussion?"

Johns paused a beat, licking his lips, and pulling her into the skiff where they could talk in relative privacy. "I ever tell you how Riddick escaped?"

- - -

She looked at him, completely jarred. "He can pilot?"

"Hijacked a prison transport, made a helluva good run 'fore I tracked him down," Johns replied.

With a faint bit of hope shining in her eyes, she ran a hand through her short hair. "Okay, maybe that's a _good_ thing. Maybe I can use him to help with—"

"He also figured out how to kill the pilot, Fry," Johns stated bluntly.

A mental shiver ran up her spine and she sighed. Looking anywhere but at Johns, she rubbed her face tiredly. Outside, Naruto waited silently by the entrance of the skiff. He was just out of eyesight, and just in earshot. The metal was cold against his back, and the sun was hot against his face. He needed to know everything if he was going to survive…

"You said we were going to trust him now," She said, frustrated. "You said there was a deal."

"That's what I said," Johns looked up at her through thick eyelashes as he challenged her to read his mind.

"Oh," She shook her head just at the thought. "This is a dangerous game you're playing, Johns."

"May've noticed chains don't work on this guy. Only way we're truly safe is if he believes he's goin' free," Johns stood, giving her a look that told her to catch up. "But if he _stops_ believin'—"

"You mean, if he learns that you're gonna royally fuck him over," She corrected, catching him with a breezy ease.

"We need a fail-safe," He argued. "Bring the cells over at the last possible minute—When the wings are ready, when we _know_ we're ready to launch."

Naruto scoffed, and covered his mouth with his own hand as the two froze inside the skiff. He cursed internally, mouthing a few choice words as panic knotted in his gut. Once they began moving and talking again, he slumped against the boat. He was relaxing easily when Riddick appeared.

"You know, he hasn't harmed any of us. Far as I can tell, he hasn't even lied to us," Fry retorted. "Just stick to the deal, Johns. Let him go if that's what it—"

"He's a murderer," Johns said slowly, rolling the words out of his mouth. "The law says he's gotta do his bid."

Naruto smirked up at the muscular man as he pinned him in. The little blonde mouthed a quick and accusing 'murderer', earning a dark grin. Naruto blushed politely then, eyes going anywhere but Riddick. He was flirting with a—as previously stated—murderer. Biting his lip, he swallowed thickly as Riddick leaned in closer, invading what used to be his personal space.

"Dancin' on razor blades here…" Fry said and Naruto nodded vigorously, agreeing with her statement.

'Razor blades!' he mouthed slowly, dragging out each syllable.

Riddick snickered softly, the low rumble vibrating between the two of them as he whispered, "I like things sharp."

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms in a childish pout.

"I won't give him a chance to grab another ship—or to slash another pilot's throat," Johns snapped, turning on his heel to leave.

The clacking of boots on metal was their cue. Naruto shoved Riddick back an inch, and then waved rapidly. He whispered a few hushed 'Go, go, go!'s before Riddick finally got the message and walked over to an area that looked out of earshot.

Naruto settled, clearing his throat as Johns descended the gangway. The pale man glanced over at Naruto in surprise before smiling at him. He smiled back, and walked up to stand by his side. Johns glanced over at Riddick who was busying himself by setting up a field table. They traded looks, a flu-like shiver running through Johns.

"You okay?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"Fine," He replied, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

Riddick's gaze burned between the two of them, a strange possessiveness coming over him. "Bad sign," He muttered, glaring at Johns from behind black lenses. "Shakin' like that in this heat."

Johns shot him a glare of his own, sneering over at the larger man. He slipped his arm around Naruto's shoulders, guiding him away. The blonde looked at Riddick, catching his gaze with mirthful blue eyes. He jerked his head in the skiff's general direction. He lipped a quick '_talk_' before turning his chirpy attention to Johns.

The Chrislams appeared just as Riddick was about to leave. He sighed a moment as they dropped a roll of Vectran onto the table. Wing fabric material for fixing up the skiff. They were ready to cut the bindings and get to work. Imam patted his hip, searching for the knife that was just there. Riddick slid the skiv he'd just stolen into the back of his belt, gripping the other blade he'd pick-pocketed from Naruto in his other hand. A look of intense fascination crossed his face as he looked at the leather handled kunai, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared.

"I'll cut," He said, his voice like gravel as he began trimming thin strips of the thick material.

- - -

The hatch closed and sealed as the check up started. Fry stared down at a single monitor as it told her over and over, in bright green letters, the **HULL INTEGRITY TEST** was underway. Scanning the rising pressure gauges, she rubbed her face as she tried to fight off fatigue. No sunset meant no night. No night meant no sleep—but she supposed it also kept them alive.

"Looks like we're a few shy…" His voice rolled out like rich, dark chocolate.

Fry whirled around. Riddick was right behind her, staring at the depleted battery bay. Something shiny caught her eyes, and she shook with fear as she spotted the foreign blade in his hand. Was he there to kill her?

"Power cells," He added, clarifying his statement.

"They're coming," She croaked, watching the blade wearily.

"Strange, not doin' a run-up on the main drive yet," He said, prowling the small space of the skiff. "Strange unless he told you the particulars of my escape."

"I got the quick-and-ugly version," She replied with a sneer.

"An' now you're worried about a repeat of history?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"Entered our minds."

Riddick shook his head. "I asked what _you_ thought."

"You scare me, Riddick," She said, licking her lips nervously. "That's what you wanna hear, isn't it? There, I admit it. Can I get back to work now?"

She turned her back to him. Fear bit at her from every angle; making her squirm a little in her seat. Riddick moved closer, pausing a second to scan the controls. As the tension built, the cabin pressure rose. Rocking back on his heels, he quirked a brow at Fry.

"Think Johns is a do-right man?" He asked, studying her body language as she tensed. "You think I can trust him to cut me loose?"

She gulped, shaking. Did he already know? Was this a test? She turned to face him again, "Why, what'd you hear?"

"Well, guess if it was trickeration, he'd just do me, huh? Then again… I'm worth twice as much alive," The shock on her face made him grin. "Didn't know? Johns ain't a cop. Oh, he's got that shiny badge an' all, but nah—He's just a merc and I'm just a payday. That's why he won't kill me. The creed is greed."

It knocked her through a loop for a moment, but she turned away from him once more; talking over her shoulder. "Save it, Riddick. We aren't gonna turn on each other—no matter how hard you try."

Riddick chuckled darkly, moving right up behind her. "I don't truly know what's gonna happen when the lights go out, Carolyn—But I do know that once the dyin' starts, this little psycho family of ours is gonna rip itself apart. So you better find out the truth. Come nightfall, you better know exactly who's standing behind you."

The monitor chirped with news. **HULL INTEGRITY—100%** blinking across the screen. Exhaling gasses, the hatch opened automatically. Riddick strolled out, boots thumping on the grating as he walked. He would leave her to stew. He had another blonde to find…

"Oh," He tossed over his shoulder. "Ask him 'bout the shakes. And ask why your crew-pal had to scream like that 'fore he died."

**tbc**

**POLL STILL GOING!!!**

**A) stop!**

**B) keep going!**

**C) stop and keep going!!!**

**Also: If you guys WOULD like me to continue (which most of you do) I need help finding the screenplays for Dark Fury and Chronicles of Riddick. Although, I might have found (key word MIGHT) as a treat for my lovely readers/reviewers, the FOURTH screenplay for Chronicles of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking (which is coming out in 2012). So, I need the screen play for DF and COR, while I MIGHT have found the newest screenplay for COR:DMS… **

**Anybody interested?**

**THANKS!**

**REVIEW!!!**

**Much love, **

**Tara**


	10. Chapter 10

"_Oh," He tossed over his shoulder. "Ask him 'bout the shakes. And ask why your crew-pal had to scream like that 'fore he died."_

_- - -_

Johns shifted around the private room he'd found to rest in. He grabbed a metal shotgun shell from a little red box, pulling the shell open. He removed a glass ampule hidden inside, and sighed at the sight of it. Dropping it into an injection syringe, he tipped his head back, and stuck the needle beneath his lower eyelid. There was a small pinch, but as they drugs flooded his system, everything else seemed to blur.

"You're not a real cop, are you?" Fry asked from the doorway where she stood, watching him. "Just some mercenary who goes around talkin' about the law like—"

"I never said I was," Johns cut in.

"Never said you were a hype, either," She bit out coldly.

She moved closer. Rummaging through his things brazenly; he did nothing to stop her, and watched as her hands searched around. She easily found a shitload of red shells—all with hidden ampules inside.

"You have a little caffeine in the morning, I have a little morphine," Johns shrugged. "So what?"

"And here you got two mornings every day," She said with a false smile. "Wow, were you _born_ lucky?"

Johns gave her a look, "It's not a problem unless you're gonna make—"

"_You_ made it a problem when you let Owens die like that," Fry lashed out with a snarl. "When you had enough drugs to knock out a fucking mule-team."

"Owens was already dead," Johns said, as if explaining it to a small child. "His brain just hadn't caught on to that fact."

"Anything _else_ we should know about you, Johns?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Christ, here I am lettin' you play games with our lives when you coulda helped. And you didn't."

Outside, they heard the Chrislams jabbering in Arabic. They were calling for their captain. Fry tensed at the use of the new title, and caught a glare that Johns tossed her way. She shook her head, scoffing at how ridiculous the situation seemed.

"Yeah," Johns said just before she could leave. "Well, look to thine own ass first. Right, 'captain'?"

The insult cut deep. She forced back the tears that wanted to form in her eyes. Instead, she whipped around, storming from the room with a dignified huff. She wouldn't be forced to listen to him. She wouldn't let him use her like he'd been using everyone. Stepping out into the sun, she let it warm her skin, and a quake of anxiety shot through her at the thought of it disappearing behind a giant rimmed planet.

Naruto watched as she walked out to meet with the religious group. He smiled at the sight of them swarming around her. He'd seen that look on Sakura's face so many times after Sasuke had left—Hell, he'd seen it on his own. It was good… It meant she was moving on and bettering herself. That was always a good thing. He turned, slipping into Johns' room, and cleared his throat to get the stripping man's attention.

Shirtless, the pale man whirled around and gave Naruto a small smile. "Hey."

"Hi," Naruto smiled back, looking him over. "So… who are you?"

Johns' face dropped. "What?"

"Who are you?" He said, walking forward with a strange cat-like prowl. "I mean, really?"

"Not you too," He shook his head, giving the smaller man a cold, indifferent stare. "You don't know anything about what's going on."

Naruto chuckled softly, a hand rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe… Or maybe I know a lot more than you think—"

"You're young," Johns said with a strange smirk, confidant that he was older than him and knew better. "You don't understand, but maybe you will someday."

"I'm young?" Naruto barked out a dark laugh. "Really? Just how old am I, Johns?"

"I dunno," He scanned the lithe form keenly. "Twenty—Twenty one?"

"I'm over three thousand years old," Naruto said, eyes flashing as Johns looked at him in confusion. "Wasn't expecting that were you?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Johns smirked, thinking it was some sort of game as he took a slow step forward. "What next? Are you some sort spy?"

"No, not anymore." He shook his head with a wistful smile. "Ex-ninja. _Now_, I have another question."

"What?" Johns snapped, completely convinced that Naruto was playing him.

"Why the hell didn't you help him?" He asked, stepping up almost chest to chest with Johns. "You have an unbelievable amount of drugs sitting on that dresser behind you, Johns. You could've helped him easily—could've eased the pain a little. Why didn't you?"

His hand moved with a flash, catching Naruto's wrist. He tugged the boy close, pressing himself tightly against the petite form as he brought that hand around his body. The forced embrace was awkward, Johns using quite a bit of his strength even as Naruto hardly put up a fight. His fingers soon found a jagged purple scar at the base of Johns' spine.

Blue eyes met blue, and a flash of awareness shot through the blonde. Pain hit him in the gut, and a sickness rocketed through his veins. He knew that scar—He'd felt a lot of them in his time. Both physical and mental scars, and none of them were ever pretty or ever fun…

"My first run-in with Riddick," Johns growled low into his ear. "Went for the sweet-spot and missed. They had to leave a piece of the shiv in there. I can feel it, sometimes, pressing against the cord."

Naruto scowled, taking his other hand and guiding it to a spot under his black shirt. He took Johns' hand with him, watching as the taller man's eyes widened. His fingers brushed against a rough scar along Naruto's ribcage—right where his heart was. Blue eyes turned crimson as they glared up coldly.

"You aren't the only one with wounds, Johns," Naruto hissed, pulling away from the closeness they'd shared for a moment. "Don't act like you are."

A shout got their attention, and they both stumbled outside. Naruto walked over to Fry's side staring in awe at the sight of gas rings rising on the horizon. Johns yanked a shirt over his head, lips twitching into a frown as he stepped out onto the dirt ground. All of them were looking towards the arch in the sky. It was luminous and completely ominous as it grew from the horizon.

"It's starting…" Naruto muttered, watching hypnotically as they arch grew, inching towards the two suns above.

Shazza seemed to be the first to wake up from their horror induced dream. "If we need anything from the crash ship—I suggest we kick on. That sand-cat's solar."

They all grabbed something. Each person snatching up either lights, water, or ropes. The Chrislams were already piling aboard the sand-cat. Fry called out orders, and soon the cat was moving. Riddick jumped into the rear bed, startling Paris and Jack as they stared up at him in awe. Johns had doubled back to grab his shotgun shells, only to swing out the door and catch up to the sand-cat with ease. Riddick reeled him aboard, giving him a cocky look.

Naruto hopped up next, easing himself down into a seat with a chipper smile. "Don't wanna miss this."

- - -

**Tbc**

**I know, short. But don't worry. I'll also be updating on Friday or Sunday with a WAY long chapter (in my opinion). So, now you have something to look forward to, right?**

**Oh, and thank you to **KounetsuDeb **for finding me the transcript for Dark Fury. Now, all I need is Chronicles of Riddick. I'm leaving it up to YOU GUYS—if you don't find it, I can't continue. So, please, for the sake of my writing, FIND IT. **

**Thanks to all my other faithful readers/reviewers. I love you. You are my crack. **

**Poll has been decided:**

**Option C!!! I leave an alternate ending for "Pitch Dark" and then continue onto the other movies. **

**Anymore polls? Someone suggested that I have a bit of a three-way between Riddick/Vaako/Naruto. Sound good? **

**A) YES!!!**

**B)NO!!!**

**Seriously, I'll take ideas if you want to toss them at me and if I'm not sure I'll poll the readers. Please, feel free to unload on me.**

**Much love,**

**REVIEW**

**Tara**


	11. Chapter 11

_Naruto hopped up next, easing himself down into a seat with a chipper smile. "Don't wanna miss this."_

- - -

The sand-cat reached the crash ship. Bodies leaped from it quickly, all going to do something. Paris stole a quick look at the rising planet. It was threatening to blot out the two suns completely. It was frightful as he looked at Shazza, blinking back his fear before he started running off to the cargo hold.

"You won't leave without me right?" He called over, and Shazza nodded reluctantly.

Johns yanked the first power cell out and started dragging it over the deck with a harsh scraping sound. Riddick yanked out a second one, carrying it on his shoulder. He passed Johns with an eat-my-ass grin as he moved with ease even as the weight pressed down on him. Naruto chuckled at the sight, and Johns glanced between the two of them before shouldering his own cell and stumbling after the bald man.

Naruto meandered up to the cells, gripping two at once and lifting them both onto his shoulders. They were heavy, yes. He'd carried heavier before. He grunted softly, though, noting a massive difference in his strength. Something had made him weaker—even his wounds took longer to heal than usual. It was odd for him to feel like he was thirteen all over again. Odd to feel so weak… The last time this had happened he'd been making his living as a cop on Earth-the-was. There had been a man with the undeniable allure that Riddick possessed back then, too.

Naruto sighed to himself, _'Maybe I'm just boy crazy…'_

Shazza wheeled the sand-cat around. She parked it right at the ramp of the broken ship, looking over her shoulder at the few who were working. The Chrislams lashed a scrap-metal sled to the sand cat for the power cells to be placed on. Riddick dropped the first cell onto the sled, Johns dropped the second. They both watched in awe as Naruto came lugging two of them out. He set them down with a smile; though his chest was heaving with small breathes. Soon, all three men were springing back into the boat trying to get the last cell. They were racing the eclipse and each other.

The rings of the planet eclipsed the yellow sun, then. It was like God had closed a blind as the daylight dimmed dramatically above them. The change in light brought a growing, high-pitched sound. Naruto seemed to shake and quiver at the sound, looking over in direction of the spired hills. He was petrified of those things—No matter how strong he was, he would never deny that at the moment he was scared shitless.

Suddenly, he let out a yelp, his hands covering his ears as the sounds hit an all new level of high. Their pitch made his head swim as his knees buckled beneath him. A second darkness swept over the survivors as Jack knelt before the squirming blonde. The rings had eclipsed the red sun, and they all seemed to stop a watch.

Something was pouring from the spire-tops. Backlit by coronal light, it seemed as if it was smoke or ash gathering in the sky. As Naruto cried out again and the sound increased in volume, they all knew that the clouds were living things. Hatchlings squealing in delight over their first nightfall.

"Jesus," Johns muttered. "How many can there—"

The kept coming. Kept filling the sky with thick waves. One after another they swarmed like black clouds of death. Mercifully, the hatchings seemed to move away. But then, on cleaved from another coming about and headed straight for the small group.

"Just a suggestion," Paris shouted from the cargo hold. "But perhaps you should all _flee_!"

"Cargo hold, everyone in the cargo hold," Fry said, breaking into a sprint. "Lesgo, lesgo, lesgo!"

They ran. Fry followed by Jack, followed by Imam and his students, followed by Johns. They reached the cargo hold, turning back to see Shazza still coming and Riddick pulling Naruto to his feet. Taking off into a fast run, Naruto seemed to snap out of whatever kind of pain he was in. With tears in his eyes and Riddick right behind him, they made for the hold.

The sound of squealing above had their hearts pounding. A wave of darkness was descending on them, and all three hit the dirt. Hatchlings flew by in a torrent, just inches overhead. Riddick rolled over onto his back, watching in awe as they soared through the sky like a river of razor blades.

Shazza was horrified. It was so hard to breath. It was like she was being held underwater as she pressed herself into the ground. Squeezing her eyes shut, her breath came in little pants. The hatchlings above kept coming in a never ending stream. Shazza whipped a panicky look at the cargo hold. Could she make it? Should she even try?

"Stay down," Naruto muttered, watching her body tense not too far ahead of him. "Just stay down."

"Shazza, stay down!" Jack screeched, tears in her eyes. "Tell her to stay down. _Stay down!_"

Shazza started worming her way toward the cargo hold. Suddenly, the hatchlings seemed to vanish. She paused a beat, glancing around. Was it safe? Shazza clambered to her feet, not heeding anyone's warnings as she took off. Naruto let out a growl and sprung up as well, sprinting after her.

"No, no, no," Fry stared with wide eyes as the wave seemed to circle around and head back. "NO, NO, _NO_!"

Naruto lunged forward, catching Shazza around the waist and taking her back down into the dirt. They rolled a second, and the blonde crawled on top of the woman to shield her from the angry beasts above. Pain shot through Naruto like a drug, and he winced, biting his lip to keep from crying out. All he could think about was the pain that seared momentarily across his back.

The cloud seemed to disperse again. The bit of blood being enough for now as they completely disappeared into the night. Still on the ground, Riddick checked left and right like someone about to cross a busy street. Casually standing, he smacked his hands clean and strolled for the hold. He paused next to the two still on the ground, holding out a hand for the small man there.

"Fuck," He cursed, taking the hand offered and pulling himself to his feet before snatching a shocked Shazza by the wrist and tugging her along behind him.

The sound of clicking rose from behind him, and Naruto knew that sound better than anyone. His breath hitched and his pace picked up as the spires crumbled behind them. They were tearing down from within. Pain was still ricocheting through the tan boy as they reached the hold. He shoved Shazza in first, ignoring Jack's concerned gaze as he limped in.

Riddick turned around for one last look. He lifted his goggles from his silver eyes, looking at the world with his jaguar gaze. He could see them swarming above the spires like glowing lights. They were large, mammalian, and hammer-headed. The clicking was a familiar sound of echo-location as they sounded out the world they hadn't inhabited for 60 years.

"Beautiful," He said with a smile, before turning and walking into the cargo hold.

Vault-like doors boomed closed. The survivors were locked inside the only secure part left of the ship. Somehow, they'd been reduced to Neanderthals huddling in their cave and listening to the howls of the sabertooths.

Shazza pealed off Naruto's shirt, dabbing away at the shallow wounds that had already coagulated. He hissed in pain, grinding his teeth together to keep the whimpers silent. Long lines of red were drawn down his back, and Shazza looked at him apologetically through thick eyelashes. Kicking the wall next to him, he let out a string of curses in multiple languages.

"Why the hell am I always the one getting cut on?" He asked rhetorically with anger dripping from each word. "And why they hell can't any goddamn one of you take care of your own fuckin' neck?!"

Fry looked over solemnly, and Shazza down with shame. Johns seemed to scoff at the idea of Naruto having to jump in a save him. The blonde snapped a silencing glare his way as the gashes on his back seemed to sizzle away and heal, but only Shazza and Riddick could see it. At least he could still heal quickly. Riddick watch the muscle ripple beneath scarred, tan skin and licked his lips at the sight. Naruto snapped him a glare too, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Thank you for savin' me, luv," Shazza commented, her accent thick as she held out his shirt for him.

He took it with an odd look on his face, nodding as an acceptance for her thanks before slipping it over his head and back on.

"Listen, I don't want to ruin this family-feel-good moment, but I think those fuckers outside might just be the same fuckers that killed every other living thing on this planet," Johns said.

"Oh, that's very profound of you Johns," Naruto snipped bitingly. "None of us would've even _thought_ to think of that."

Johns growled, taking a step forward only to be cut off as Riddick stepped in his way. "What? You protectin' your little _boyfriend_ over there—"

"Quiet, please," Imam interrupted. "Everyone."

Imam was listening at the cargo door. The others froze before piling up alongside it. Their ears were magically tuned like radar. The clicking swept past outside.

"Why do they do that?" Jack whispered, looking up at Naruto. "Make that sound?"

"Perhaps it's the way they see," Imam responded. "With sound, reflecting back."

"Echo-location," Naruto shook his head, finally getting it. "_That's _what it is…"

There came more clicking. This time, though, it was behind them. Lights whipped around to find nothing. Only a door of an open container about halfway down the tunnel-like hold. A volley of looks cast together as they glanced at one another. How the fuck could one have gotten in there? There was more clicking, and suddenly Johns realized they expected _him_ to check it out.

"I'd rather piss glass," He commented, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Well, you _do_ have the big gauge," Naruto retorted with a bitter smile.

"Wanna rag your pretty little mouth?" Johns threatened, and Riddick had to hold Naruto back with a hand flat on the boy's chest.

"He's gotta point, Johns," Riddick's voice rumbled out. "You got the biggest gun."

Johns butched up as more clicking sounded, accompanied by the sound of toppling cargo. Leading with his shotgun, he fired blindly around the door. Something squealed and then fell silent. Johns eased his head and light around the door to spot a few hatchlings on the ground, blasted into dog food bits.

"Okay, we're okay," Johns said over his shoulder. "Just some small ones that musta—"

Something whooshed for his head, swinging like a scythe. It caught his shotgun, discharging it, and giving them the flash-image of an adult predator. In one second, Johns was back with the others, the door shut and sealed behind him.

"Not staying in here another moment," Paris mumbled to himself, going for the main-door lever, ready to flee into the night.

Naruto lunged for him. "Don't you know what's out there?!"

"I know what's in here!" Paris replied adamantly, but he was no match for the younger man's strength.

"Everybody come," Imam said, waving them over. "This way and we should be safe. Hurry, please…"

Imam shepherded them into a container. The door slammed closed behind them. At first, the only sound was of mouths sucking on breathers. Then, a scratching. Johns fumbled with a butting torch before he finally got it burning. Adjusting the gasses to illuminate the door, scythe-like blades were probing the joints. Suddenly, heavy blows drove everyone back.

"Can you do sumpin' else with that?" Riddick growled at Johns. " 'Sides holding it in my fucking face."

Johns looked at him coldly for a moment before the sound of tearing metal sent him straight to work. He kneeled down, cutting right through the common wall between two containers. It was a race as sparks flew. A race between the heat of his cutter and the blades of the predators. A burn outline appeared with each movement of the cutter, and soon, Johns was kicking out the new escape hatch.

Naruto ushered Jack, Ali, and Hasan through first. Johns was about to slide through when the blonde pressed a firm hand to his chest. Shazza and Fry went in next; followed quickly by Imam and the third pilgrim. Only after Paris had ducked into the next compartment did Naruto let Johns pass.

Suddenly, the predators shred into the container right behind Naruto and Riddick. They were clicking, sweeping, searching, and hunting for something—_anything._ A tremor of fear licked up Naruto's spine and went spiraling through the half-demon as the beasts' sense of smell locked onto him. They were looking for something tasty, and Naruto had the delightful scent of a Christmas Feast.

Riddick grabbed him by the back of his neck, sending him tumbling into the other container. Johns had already burned another hole onto the metal wall of the second compartment, and soon they were all fleeing into that one. Again and again, they burned a new escape hatch just as the predators broke into the container that they were vacating. Every time, they entered a new room cloaked in nothing but pitch darkness.

Inside the fifth container, Johns was torching away. Fry and Shazza used cargo to the black the entrance hole, only adding more weight as they blocked the cargo with their bodies. Riddick and Naruto added their weight to the blockade. Closing his eyes, Naruto cringed as the large metal boxes behind them jerked with the force of the predators blows. He was still, until his fingers ran over pepper-shot in the cargo. Suspecting the worst, he left the others behind to head into the darkness.

"Hello," Paris called after him, looking aghast. "_Hello_?"

Riddick watched until the blonde disappeared, and then he too left Paris a Fry with the struggle. He moved slowly to the front of the container where the darkness prevailed. He sniffed the air, searching for Naruto in the blackness. Something squished suddenly underfoot. Slipping off his goggles, he glanced down to see dead hatchlings on the floor. This was the open container, the one where Johns had found predators.

Sensing energy, Riddick lifted his face. Naruto was standing right in front of him, staring up with wide blue eyes. The taller man stepped forward slowly. Silently. He placed himself right behind the now visibly shaking blonde, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders. He looked up easily, seeing what had him so petrified. An adolescent predator was squatting atop a piece of cargo, eating a hatchling. A heavy bone-blade crowned it's skull like hammer head sharks of Earth-That-Was.

Pulling Naruto back, he tugged the fearful man into the shadows. He stepped down on a loose grating, causing a deafening creak. Sensing them and hearing them, the creature looked up. Sweeping the area with it's inquisitive clicking, it caught the crude feeling of two persons standing just below it.

Oblivious to what was happening only meters away, the others kicked out the new escape hatch. Jack, Fry, and Shazza were the first. With no one there to keep him, Johns followed. Paris stumbled past soon after Imam and his two students. Only after they were through did they realize that three people were missing. Riddick, Naruto, and Hasan were no where in sight.

What they didn't realize was that over half of their missing persons were in a stare down with a beast. Hasan had noticed their absence before all else, and was searching for them blindly in the dark. He rounded a corner, only to find his head caught in a vice-like grip. Gulping back a scream, another hand came up and wrapped around his arm and tugged him back a step.

"You couldn't have worse timing," Riddick's voice rumbled behind him. "Don't. Move."

A second predator appeared above them. This one reached down with it's scythe blade. Gently probing, the blade poked at all three men, wanting to know what they were made of. The smell of urine entered the air as Hasan pissed himself, wetting his pants all the way down to his shoes. More blades seemed to descend, moving over them like surgical instruments. One test-sliced Riddick's shirt, nicking his skin and leaving a small trail of blood along his chest. Naruto's nostrils flared at the smell of it, and his grip tightened on the boy before them. As the blood welled up in Riddick's wound, all clicking ceased.

- - -

**Tbc**

**Told you guys that it would be long! So, did you like it? If you did, you should totally leave a review. Anyways, thanks to my reviewers/readers. I'd also like to thank those few who are helping me in the search for CoR. I hope to find a worthy transcript very soon.**

**Oh, and if you didn't notice the bit about Naruto saying that he'd been a cop on Earth-That-Was—Well, that was a bit of foreshadowing to a story that I MIGHT end up doing after I finish the Chronicles of Riddick series if you all are interested…**

**So, here's the new question:**

**After CoR, do you want me to take you guys back on a journey to when Earth was still alive and Naruto was trying his best to fit into a world he wasn't meant to still be in by being a cop and savin' lives and guess what movie series this is going to be??? Fast and the Furious…**

**So, anyone?**

**A) Yes!!!**

**B) No!!!**

**C)maybe… finish CoR before you think about ANYTHING else MISSY!**

**THANKS MUCH,**

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	12. Chapter 12

"_You couldn't have worse timing," Riddick's voice rumbled behind him. "Don't. Move."_

_A second predator appeared above them. This one reached down with it's scythe blade. Gently probing, the blade poked at all three men, wanting to know what they were made of. The smell of urine entered the air as Hasan pissed himself, wetting his pants all the way down to his shoes. More blades seemed to descend, moving over them like surgical instruments. One test-sliced Riddick's shirt, nicking his skin and leaving a small trail of blood along his chest. Naruto's nostrils flared at the smell of it, and his grip tightened on the boy before them. As the blood welled up in Riddick's wound, all clicking ceased._

_- - - _

In the next container, Fry waited anxiously with the others. Johns was the only one working on yet another escape hatch. Looking to the hole in the wall, she sighed in strangled frustration. Shazza set a comforting hand on her tense shoulder, watching as the blonde woman debated with herself about waiting for the missing people.

"Imam," She hissed at the Holy man. "Where are they?"

Imam looked at her, stricken with guilt at the thought of losing more people. He climbed back through the hole in the wall, calling out to his student. "Hasan?"

Fry followed, flash light gripped tightly in one hand as she called out, "Naruto? Riddick?"

- - -

Sweat trickled down Hasan's temple, and he licked his lips nervously, ignoring the tight grip on his arm. He was even more scared now that the clicking had stopped. He knew he was supposed to stay still and not move, but he lost his nerve and bolted.

"No!" Naruto exclaimed as the boy slipped from his hold.

Before he had a chance to run after him, Riddick had pulled him back into his chest. Tears brimmed his blue eyes as he struggled against the man's hold fruitlessly. The predators were on Hasan, just blurs in the dark as they tore into his flesh. A loud scream echoed in the room, bouncing off the shadows, and sending Naruto over the edge. He let out a broken sob, hiding his face in the black cotton of Riddick's shirt.

Soon, a third predator was above them, ready to join in on the fun. He tensed, holding tightly to the blonde man in his arms as he decided what to do. Glancing over at the other two beasts, he took a chance and made his move. He darted out around the cargo, pulling Naruto behind him as they headed for the escape hatch. Suddenly, Fry's light caught him square in the face. Blinded, Riddick howled and fell to the ground, taking Naruto down with him. Fry's light leaped deeper to hit the predator right behind them. With a similar reaction, the beast howled and flailed back away from the light.

Fry paused for a moment, eyes wide. It was like the world paused for a second as thought whizzed through her mind. What had stopped it? Was it really her that stopped it? Suddenly, a shotgun exploded by her head. Jacked up on morphine, Johns was there, blasting at shadows.

"Stop it, stop it," Naruto said, sitting up, tears still in his red eyes. "_STOP IT_!"

Johns grinned at him, lowering his gun with a dazed look in his eyes. " 'Sokay, 'sokay… I killed it."

They all gave him a look that seemed to say 'sure you did'. Just then, a carcass slammed to the floor, sending everyone jumping back in a perfect splash-pattern. Riddick stumbled to his feet, bring the blonde man with him as they gathered with the group to stare at the corpse. All of them had the same thought running through their minds, _'Christ, he _did_ kill one_._'_

Naruto swooped down, claiming Fry's dropped light. Wiping away the tears that had streamed down his cheeks, he shined the light on the carcass. Wherever the light seemed to strike, the flesh of the monster charred and steamed. It reminded him of things he'd encountered when he was still mortal—and now he was slowly devolving back into something weak and human. He wasn't sure if it was the beasts they were facing, or the feelings he was having towards their resident murderer. Either way, he needed to stay strong. At least until they got off the rock they'd crashed into.

"There…" He muttered, staring in awe as the grey skin crinkled and burned away.

"Like the light is scalding it," Paris muttered, his accent thick.

"It hurts them," Naruto said slowly, smiling at the realization. "Light _actually_ hurts them…"

Vulture sounds came screaming from far in the container. All eyes went to the shadows, and Riddick's silver gaze danced along with the figures cloaked within. The sounds of adolescents fighting over scraps of a pilgrim assaulted Naruto's mind. Covering his ears, he dropped the light to the ground, and walked to the escape hatch muttering something like 'keep moving'. Riddick frowned, watching the blonde go before his attention turned to Imam.

"Is that…" The Holy man gulped, his voice shaking. "Hasan?"

Riddick nodded, eyes going back to Naruto as the boy climbed through the hole in the wall with Jack following behind him.

Johns glanced between the two with a sneer before shoving past the buff man. "We'll burn a candle for him later. C'mon."

- - -

Cargo had been shoved against the door and walls. The survivors gathered around Naruto's handlight as he searched his mind for everything and anything he could think of to save them. He didn't want to see anyone else die—He'd done enough killing in his lifetime. He draped his arm around Jack's shoulders as she quivered in fright against him. He surveyed the items before him, eyes darting from piece to piece with a fluid rapidity that had even Riddick blinking a few times.

"…one cutting torch…one handlight here, two more in the cabin…" He muttered under his breath, thinking out loud as he squeezed Jack's shaking shoulder.

"Spirits," Paris added. "Anything over 45 proof burns well."

"True enough," Naruto smiled. "How many bottles?"

"Not sure," Paris shook his head before taking a guess. "Ten?"

He nodded, scanning the peacock of a man with a new light. "Those umbrellas, the ones that mist… Would they burn?" When the man's face scrunched up in distaste, the blonde rolled his sky blue eyes. "If you got a receipt?"

"Possibly," Paris nodded with a polite smile.

"Awright," He grinned reassuringly down at Jack, who tossed him a weak smile. "So maybe we'll have enough light."

"Enough for what?" Shazza asked in confusion, noting how realization dawned on Fry's face.

Johns glanced between the two blonde, seeing the look of grim understanding there. Riddick already knew, too. Naruto was challenging Johns to read his mind it seemed as azure eyes drilled in to a dull grey-ish blue. With wide eyes, he shook his head laughing darkly.

"Oh, man," He frowned down at him. "If you're in your right mind, I pray you go insane."

"We can stick to Fry's original plan," Naruto said to the others, ignoring Johns' comment. "If we get even _four_ cells back to the skiff, we're off this rock."

"I hate to kill a beautiful theory with an ugly fact, but that sand-cat won't run at night," Shazza said softly to Fry, looking in the woman's eyes sadly even as she already saw the adamant look on both blonde's faces.

"We'll have to carry the cells," Fry said back, grabbing Shazza's hand.

Naruto glanced between the two of them, seeing the connection that had somehow formed in all the chaos as he spoke. "We can drag them if we have to."

Troubled faces went around the circle. Was it just their imagination, or was the light on the floor growing dimmer? Jack pushed herself closer into Naruto's side, clutching his torn shirt tightly in her pale hands. Her lips quivered as she looked around at everyone else. They were all older than her—except for Ali. She could only imagine how scared _he_ was.

"You mean… tonight?" She asked softly. "With all those things still out there?"

"Oh, sure. Why not?" Paris added sarcastically. "Sounds like a hoot."

"Back it up," Johns interrupted the thought process, shaking his head as he stared indifferently at Naruto. "How long is this thing even supposed to last? Few minutes? Couple hours?"

No one knew for sure, but Imam spoke next, "I had the impression—from the model—that the two planets were moving as one. That there would be… A lasting darkness."

"Those suns gotta come back _sometime_," Johns snapped. "And if these animals really are phobic about light, we just sit tight till then."

"I'm sure that's what someone else said," Naruto bit out. "Locked inside that coring room."

It was a persuasive thought. Riddick couldn't fight back the grin that managed to form on his features. His boy had a point—_That_ through the bald man through a loop… _His_ boy? Not that he minded, he did enjoy looking at him and smelling him and being around him. He also had this strange feeling of protectiveness that seemed to come over him whenever it came to the blonde. If Naruto wanted to go on a suicide mission, he'd just have to make sure they both made it out.

It was odd, though. Riddick was a predator himself, but this man—whatever he was—had an aura of danger all on his own. His changing eyes and rapid healing were nothing compared to the feeling of rage that seemed to roll off Naruto in waves. It even sent a chill up _Riddick's_ spine, and nothing could do that. Naruto sent him an annoyed look, like he knew what the man was thinking.

"Look, we gotta think about everyone now—The kids especially," Johns said, glancing at Ali and Jack. "How scared are they gonna be out there?"

"Oh, don't you use them like that," Naruto hissed, arm going taunt around Jack. "for a smoke screen."

"Smoke screen for what?" Johns asked, falsely innocent.

Fry jumped in then, a fierce look on her face. "For your own fear."

"Hey. Why don't you two rag your holes for two seconds and let someone else come up with a plan that doesn't involve _mass suicide_?" He asked bitterly, eyes narrowed.

Two seconds passed, and Naruto took up the initiative once more. "How much you weigh, Johns?"

"What the hell's it matter?" He replied with a sneer.

"_How much_?" Naruto growled, eyes flashing red.

Johns stumbled back a step, fear shooting through him. "79 kilos. Why?"

"Because you're 79 kilos of gutless fuckin' white meat," Naruto said with a smile. "And _that's_ why you can't come up with a better plan."

Johns snarled, making a move at the fearless boy in front of him. He lunged forward, lip curled up in a disdained sneer before Riddick's arm shot out to block him. Johns jerked to a stop, shotgun swinging round to nestle under the taller man's chin. Blue eyes narrowed, he warned his ex-prisoner with a deadly, dazed gaze. He was almost too hyped up to even focus on Riddick's face.

"Think about that reward, Johns," Riddick said low, voice rumbling like gravel.

"I'm willing to take a pay cut," He snapped back, finger itching to pull the trigger.

"Yeah?" Riddick shifted, far too confident for the mercenary's liking. "How 'bout a cut to your gut?"

Johns looked down in alarm, feeling a soft tapping against his stomach. Sure enough, Riddick was holding a shiv just against the inside of his thigh, and right against where a rather important artery was. Grimacing at the thought of being sliced open for all to see, Johns backed off. Dropping his gun to the metal floor, he stuck his hands up in mock surrender.

"You're gonna regret this," Johns hissed threateningly at Riddick, and the bald man shifted the blade up to press it against his stomach, poised for evisceration.

"Please, this solves nothing…" Imam said, pleadingly. "Please."

Clenching his jaw, all Riddick wanted to do was ghost Johns' ass. His grip tightened around Imam's ceremonial blade as he debated with himself about whether the merc's death would help him and his, or kill their minor chances at surviving. If he didn't take him out now, there was a good chance Johns would get hyped up and trigger happy. Then, he'd end up doin' something stupid and all hell would break loose. Blue eyes bore into his with a silent challenge, 'Ghost me, mother fucker'.

Only when a tan hand landed on his shoulder did he back down with a low, protective growl. Naruto gave him a soft smile when he tucked away the shiv, but reached around the bulkier man for the kunai he knew was there. Gripping the leather handle, he plucked from the spot on Riddick's belt. Bringing it back around, he dangled it from one finger, eyes mirthful as Riddick seemed to glance down in guilt.

Turning back to Jack, Naruto smiled once more. "They're afraid of our light. That means we don't have to be so afraid of them."

Imam looked to the young man, uncertain trust in his gaze. "And you're sure you can find the way back? Even in the dark?"

"No, I'm not. I can see better 'en all of you, but I don't have perfect vision in pure black," The blonde said with a small pout, walking back over to Jack's side as he twirled the knife between his fingers before he pointed it directly at Riddick. "But _he_ does."

- - -

**tbc**

**Hope you all liked it. And, hey, it's early once again? I'm doin' purty good, ain't I? Just so you know, after the poll I've decided a WILL be continuing into the Fast and the Furious movies—rather going BACK to—after I finish the CoR series. Yeah… **

**So, readers,**

**What's your comment question of the day? **

**Much Love,**

**Tara**

**P.S. DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

"_And you're sure you can find the way back? Even in the dark?"_

"_No, I'm not. I can see better 'en all of you, but I don't have perfect vision in pure black," The blonde said with a small pout, walking back over to Jack's side as he twirled the knife between his fingers before he pointed it directly at Riddick. "But he does."_

* * *

Outside, the eclipsing planet dominated half of the sky. Nothing but pure, black darkness reigned over all. It was a horrid sight to behold as creatures darted in the cover of shadow, waiting for prey. Hunting for it. Shrieking and clicking echoed through out the valley of vast nothingness. Clouds formed above, clumping together—the silent threat of a storm.

Cargo doors cracked open, letting the bit of dim light the survivors had poor out as far as it could before it melted into the black. Mixed for maximum flame, the welding torch was pushed outside and swept around cautiously. Naruto's face followed, as he glanced with a weary azure gaze. Moving like prisoners on death row, they slowly filed out into the pitch. They crossed open ground, jumping at every sound as they trekked onward. At the lead, Naruto tried not to heed the predator's primal sounds that rang just beyond the light's reach. Soon they had reached the main cabin, and the blonde froze on the spot. Looking over his shoulder at the murderer standing only feet away, he jerked his head forward in a silent gesture.

Riddick stayed still until the he hissed, "Riddick!" to get his already claimed attention.

Nodding, the bald man pealed off his goggles, and brushed past. He crept up, feet silent on the metal as he moved. With his ultraviolet gaze, all he could see was wreckage. There was no life that he could spot. He scanned briefly again, just to be sure. He didn't want his Naruto heading in blind, only to get hurt again for their sake.

"Looks clear," He tossed over his shoulder.

Johns shoved past briskly. His gun was drawn as he stalked into the darkness of the wrecked main cabin. He was almost completely in when a creature buzz sawed over his head. It fled the main cabin to take off into the night; just barely escaping the light's harmful rays. Johns and Riddick hit the deck, dropping to the ground and covering their heads in alarm. Naruto ducked, pulling Jack down with him when suddenly the smell of blood hit him dead on. He looked Jack over with concern etched on every part of his face, knowing it was her he was smelling when it hit him—

'_Oh, fuck,'_ He thought with a deep scowl before Johns' outrage caught his attention.

"_Fuck me_," Johns sneered down at Riddick as he stumbled to his feet. "You said 'clear'."

"Said 'looks clear'," Riddick rumbled, still flat on his stomach.

"Well," Johns huffed in annoyance. "How's it look now?"

Glancing back into the wreckage, Riddick shrugged before looking back up at Johns. "Looks clear."

Naruto would've laughed on any other day. He would've laughed _hard_ if Jack hadn't been holding his hand so goddamn tight. "Just get the fucking lights on."

He pushed past both men, pulling the young girl along side him. The others scrambled after them, but Riddick dropped back. As Johns moved forward, Riddick clicked his tongue rapidly, imitating the sounds of the beasts. Snapping an icy glare over his shoulder, Johns wasn't amused.

Inside, the survivors moved quickly within the mess that used to be a transport ship. Powering up the cabin lights, Naruto yanked three more power cells out from the battery bay. Grabbing Paris by the back of his shirt, he had the prim and proper man help him thread nylon cord through Paris' misting umbrellas. Then, he helped fill the reservoirs with high-octane liquor and swapped out the O2 canisters. He was going to fight for these peoples' lives…

* * *

Reloading his shotgun, Johns found himself shaking again. Cold tremors ran along his skin, and a sweat had broken out across his face. He felt empty as he clutched his gut in pain. Digging into his pockets, he pulled out a red shell. He looked down at it lovingly, knowing that it held the morphine he craved within itself. Behind him, someone moved. Whipping around, he came face to face with narrowed blue eyes.

"Ready, Johns?" He asked, ice cold.

Palming the shell, he grit his teeth together in agitation. "He'll lead you over the first cliff. You know that, don't you?"

"We're just burnin' light here," Naruto muttered, not wanting to listen to the pale man's words. He wanted to trust the dangerous man he found so alluring—He wanted to be able to like Riddick.

"You give him the cells and the ship—and he will leave you," Johns warned adamantly. "He will leave you all out there to die."

"I don't get it, Johns," Naruto shook his head, eyes dark with a bitterness. "What is so goddamn valuable in your life that you're worried about losing? Huh? Is there anything at all? Besides your next hype?"

Johns fell silent.

"You've got no right to be so scared," He said with a scowl, turning away to head back to the main group. "None of us do."

* * *

Naruto watched as Riddick kneeled down in front of the last power cell. Biting his lower lip, he glanced outside to the people waiting there with there lights lit brightly. Holding a handlight in a tight grip, he opened his mouth to say something. When Riddick looked up at him, he snapped his mouth shut again. The bald man tilted his head inquisitively, eyes hidden once more behind black goggles.

"What?" He asked with a low rumble.

Opening his mouth again, Naruto took a big breath to speak. "Well, I just wanted to—" He sighed softly, closing his eyes in frustration as he dragged a hand through his tangled blonde locks. "I wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" Riddick replied, turning his attention back to the power cell. "Haven't done nothin'."

"Yeah, you have," Naruto nodded. "You've actually done a lot—Well, maybe not a lot, but enough considering…"

"Considering what?" Riddick stood, towering over the already small ex-ninja. "Considering I'd usually have ghosted every last one of you and been off this rock before the lights went out?"

Naruto blinked, clearly not intimidated by the man's larger presence. "Well… Yeah."

Riddick stared at him for a moment before chuckling and kneeling back down to the power cell. "You're welcome."

With that, he yanked it from it's hold in the main cabin and the lights went dark. The lights died over head, leaving those still in the wreckage to find their way out in the dark. Luckily, the majority of the survivors were already outside and huddled around the light that seemed to sustain them. Still brooding, Johns finished loading his shotgun in the dark before he meandered out into the small throng of people. Naruto tensed in the dark, hackles rising as he felt the all-consuming threat that was the creatures. They were everywhere.

Hands shaking, the blonde tried to turn on the flashlight before it was roughly knocked out of his grip. He cried out in surprise as he was forcefully shoved back against a metal wall. Jack called out for him, worrying staining her voice at the thought of losing someone who actually cared for her. His blue eyes flickered before turning a deep red, and suddenly he could see perfectly in the dark. He called back to Jack, saying he was fine as a deep chuckle rumbled out from the man who was pressed tightly against him. It sent a shudder vibrating down his spine, and he stiffened cautiously—ready for anything.

A hand cupped his jaw, thumb brushing across a thin, whisker-like scar on his cheek. Silver met crimson, and Riddick smirked as he inhaled Naruto's scent. "I could kill you," He said quietly in his ear, his hand now resting around Naruto's jugular.

"You could _try_," Naruto responded, and Riddick watched with fascination as the blonde's canines grew longer and sharper—his nails doing the same as his pupils turned into slits within the deep red. "But you'll find that I'm very difficult to get rid of."

Riddick laughed again, even as clawed hands clutched at the black cotton of his t-shirt. "Did you know you grind your teeth when you think…" It was a statement, not a real question. Riddick leaned in close, mouth hovering a breath away from Naruto's. "…It's sexy…"

Fingers were tangled deep in his hair, then. Yanking his head back at an angle, Riddick pressed a searing kiss to his lips. A surprised mewl escaped him, as he arched against a firm chest. His claws and fangs disappeared; his eyes melting to a lovely lilac color as they fluttered shut. It was brief, their passionate embrace. The kiss was feverish, but hurried because of the threat in the dark and the people waiting for them—needing them. It was just a taste—for now. Riddick would've continued—his hands already roaming—even as Fry walked to where they were, searching in the dark.

"Naruto?" She called out. "Riddick?"

The blonde shoved Riddick back with extreme force. He stumbled away in shock, staring with wide silver eyes at the surprisingly strong young man. Riddick internally scolded himself for being so presumptuous—the kid wasn't a kid at all. In fact, he was pretty sure that Naruto had a few hundred years on him. That was a frightening prospect—and it enthralled the larger man all the more. Naruto was something dangerous just waiting to happen. All that hidden power coiled up in something so innocent looking…

"We're fine," Naruto said, a blush painting his cheeks as he twiddled his thumbs together. "I tripped when the lights went out is all. Riddick helped me up and we were about to start dragging the cell out so…"

Fry nodded, looking between them as she shined her light on Naruto's face. "Alright… Well, let's get going, yeah?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded his head vigorously before turning to grab the power cell.

He pulled it up onto his shoulder with a soft grunt. It was getting harder and harder to do things like this. It had even been difficult to push Riddick away the way he had. His strength was on the fritz, and he was making out with psycho-killer in dark corners—Oh, the familiar irony of it all. Last time this had happened, he was still seventeen and it hadn't been a bald man driving him mad… No, it had been Itachi right in the middle of a rather large, life altering battle—the battle Itachi had died in. The battle Naruto had begun his three year merge with the Kyuubi. Then, of course there had been that time after it-- with the cars and the racing and... well, that was just _fun_.

Hefting the battery out, he followed behind Fry with a grim smile on his face. Riddick wasn't far behind them, eyes never leaving the small male's hips. With another grunt, Naruto dropped the cell onto the drag-sled and dusted off his hands before turning to face Riddick.

"Lead the way."

* * *

A burning wick in the middle of a pitch black plane, and suddenly alcohol mist shot out, across the flame. It created a large fireball in the sky, and the flame licked at the shadows, eating them whole. Two umbrella torches, the fabric had already burnt away, belched fireballs into the night. By this light and more, the survivors struggled onward. Imam was chained into the first harness of the drag-sled. Beside him, Johns seemed to fumble with a second harness. Hands helped him into the chains, and Johns looked up to see Riddick. Both men recognized the blatant irony of their situation. Prisoner helping his captor into chains.

"Keep the light going," Fry said softly to all of them, smiling at Shazza who walked next to her. "That's all we have to do to live through this. Just keep your lights burning."

Riddick nodded, dropping back a couple paces to where Naruto and Jack were. The blonde had his own harness on, tugging it with all his might, a sheen of sweat rolling down his forehead already. He tried not to look up at Riddick as he looped a string of handlights over his neck. It shown like a beacon in the dark, a beacon meant for those who were willing to keep up. Rolling his shoulders, the bald man let his hand brush against Naruto's as they walked. Jack noticed how her new best friend flushed in embarrassment.

"Be runnin' about 10 paces ahead," He said so everyone could hear, but it was directed at Naruto who seemed to be running things lately. "I want light on my back—but not in my eyes. And check your cuts. These things know our blood now."

Naruto's eyes widened in horror. He glanced down at Jack, who'd gone stone-faced and stiff. Looking back up at Riddick, the taller man seemed to ignore him as he walked ahead. A small, pale hand came up to clutch Naruto's. Squeezing tight, Naruto laced his fingers with hers—He wouldn't let anything happen to her. She was important to him. She reminded him so much of Sakura—and he wouldn't lose another important person.

* * *

Naruto's turn with the sled was over, and now Fry was taking his spot. He cast her a smile before he jogged up to where Riddick was. He didn't need the light that was offered to him by Imam as he passed. His eyes turned red as it got too dim for his human eyes to see. He needed to talk to the Big Bad for a moment, and now was better than later because later someone could be dead. The creatures were clicking and crowding around him, and it almost made Naruto revert back to blue orbs as he stared out at the things that frightened him to the core.

"Riddick," He said, trying to get his attention, even though he already had it. "I just wanted to—"

"Nobody's gonna turn a murderer loose, ya know," He rumbled out, not looking over, and for a moment Naruto thought he was talking about the ex-ninja himself. "I fuckin' knew better."

A stricken look crossed his face as he realized that Riddick was truly wounded by this. "So… Why are you still helping? Why aren't you shiving away at us, yet?"

Riddick paused, giving Naruto a sideways glance before he looked forward again. "Been a long time since anyone's trusted me like you're doin'. That's somethin' right there."

"I can, can't I?" Naruto asked, his heart swelling hopefully as Riddick looked at him again. "Trust you?"

"Actually…" Riddick shrugged, frown on his face. "That's what I've been askin' myself."

Naruto's breath hitched in his throat, and suddenly it was like all the air had been sucked right out of him. He dropped back a bit, eyes going to the ground as they faded to a dull blue. He missed the flash of remorse cross Riddick's face—he didn't want to hurt him, but that was all he knew how to do. Naruto crossed his arms self-consciously, holding back bitter tears as he wondered if he'd made a terrible, terrible mistake…

* * *

**Tbc**

**Hope you all liked it. **

**Much Love,**

**REVIEW!**

**Tara**

**P.S. Does anyone else feel like my characters are bipolar? Hot one minute—not the next. Brave and awesome here, scared and shaking in their stylish yet surprisingly affordable boots there? **


	14. Chapter 14

"_I can, can't I?" Naruto asked, his heart swelling hopefully as Riddick looked at him again. "Trust you?"_

"_Actually…" Riddick shrugged, frown on his face. "That's what I've been askin' myself."_

* * *

Riddick was running at a fast pace ahead of them. His goggles were off and his eyes were glinting in the dark as he tried not to think about the bitterly hurt, tan face that watched his every move. Naruto was pulling the sled with Imam and Johns, grunting as his muscles grew taunt. They were like malamutes on a dog sledding team, yanking the drag-sled full of power cells through the night. The oldest of the pilgrims was at the first side-guard position with little Ali by his side. Fry and Jack were at the second, each carrying an umbrella torch; fireballs blazing. Shazza wasn't far behind Fry, and she kept her eyes trained on the woman's back—she wouldn't lose someone else. Paris brought up the tail, sweeping his welding torch back and forth at every shadow. They were a train of fire and blue light. All of them had tubing from the ship's hull wrapped around them and connected to a single power cell. The sled had five more power cells in it, and eight bottles of booze—maybe they'd make it.

Naruto grunted, toes digging into the earth beneath them. He was straining against the weight at his back, but he wouldn't—couldn't stop. He felt his abnormal strength draining from his body as each moment passed, and he wasn't sure if he was dying or if the planet had some weird effect on his/Kyuubi's powers. He was still strong; more than the average muscle man, but he couldn't go fighting an entire army anytime soon. His senses were still frighteningly sharp: he could hear every sound, and he could still smell the blood on Jack, and if he wanted he could see the way Riddick did. The only thing was, he didn't want to see the way Riddick did.

Suddenly, Johns stiffened, and Naruto looked to the ground for why. They weren't following the trail anymore. The sand-cat tracks had vanished.

"You noticed, too?" Johns asked softly, looking to the panic stricken blonde.

With a string of foreign curses, Naruto came to a stop and unhooked his belt. "Riddick."

He didn't stop, but everyone else seemed to freeze.

Naruto let out a low growl, and what felt like a gust of hot wind came tumbling from around him; it gave off an incredible aura of danger as the fire flickered and the creatures around them dropped away. "_Riddick_."

He seemed to grind to a halt. Turning around, he wandered back into the light. Naruto glared up at him coldly as Riddick regarded him with indifference.

"Where are the sand-cat tracks?" He asked. "Why aren't we still following them?"

Riddick shrugged, "Saw sumthin' I didn't like."

"Such as?" He waited, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hard to tell, sometimes… you should know that," He commented dryly, giving Naruto the one-up. "But it looked like a bunch of those big boys chewin' on each other. Thought we'd swing wide. Okay by you?"

The aura of danger seemed to die as something darker took it's place. Naruto's shoulders slumped a fraction, but no one noticed except Riddick. Weary, exhausted blue eyes met his even in the dark, and his face was hard as Naruto pulled into himself. He wouldn't let himself get hurt. Glancing over his shoulder, he let himself peer into the night just to catch a glimpse. Shaking his head, clicking seemed to break out around them.

"Let's move," Naruto said, voice in authority mode before he softened it to talk to Jack. "Just a detour. He'll get us there. I trust him."

Riddick tensed, eyes catching Naruto's in a grid lock._ Good God, he _did_ trust him_.

"Can we switch?" Paris asked suddenly.

"What," Shazza questioned, brows furrowed. "Switch what?"

"I think I twisted my uh—my ankle running backwards like that," He stumbled over his words, noting the way they looked at him. "Okay, that's a lie. I just don't want to be alone back there anymore. If you could just give me a few minutes up front here—"

Johns stepped in there, towering easily over Paris. "Well, the muscle has to stay up here and pull. The young ones can't be back there, and Fry is the pilot. Shazza _could_, but she's a woman—"

"Even if I wasn't, I wouldn't go back there," Shazza said with a scoff, earning a small smile from Fry.

"What happened to all that feminist angst?" Paris sneered over at her. " 'Women are just as strong as men', right?"

"Didn't say us girlies weren't," Shazza shrugged, wrapping her arm around Fry's shoulders. "Jus' sayin' that us girlies aren't going to be stickin' our bloody necks out."

"And you expect me to?" Paris cried in outrage. "Am I so disposable? Who says I can't pull the sled—"

"Oh, Kami-sama!" Naruto stepped between the confrontation. "_I'll_ go back there!"

The blonde ignored stares as he clamored to the back. He snatched the welding torch from Paris, his eyes gleaming red with anger. Everyone took their new places, and Riddick resumed his run. They trundled on, Naruto the new tail-gunner. As Paris struggled to chain to the sled, Fry came up to him and took his spot. He looked at her with a grateful smile as she passed him the flaming torch. At side guard, Paris seemed to relax. Even though the clicking never seemed out of ear shot, they all trudged on. A weak fireball spewed from Paris' torch, and his eyes widened. Checking the reservoir, he found it almost empty.

"Light, please," He muttered out. "I need light here…"

Still moving, Johns and Imam trained their light on Paris. The esteemed man struggled with the umbrella as he tried to refuel. Jack watched, shining her light on him as well until her light slipped from her fingers. Shazza had her umbrella torch, letting Jack free from the blue ropes to stray from the fray. Letting her stray from the light and into the darkness. Suddenly, creatures were at her, dive-bombing down from above. Naruto hissed, his red eyes glowing in the dark as he detached from the group and tore off his own blue lights.

He dove into the darkness, that same aura of danger seeping from his pores. He would _not_ lose Jack. A fierce growl echoed within the plethora of clicking. It was a warning of death to any who harmed his important person. At first, the clicking ceased, allowing him to find Jack huddled around her single light with fear in her big brown eyes. He took long strides, reaching her in no time when suddenly the clicking hit a high-velocity. It was like an incoming missile. He was only feet away, but he wouldn't make it in time. He lunged at the last second, flattening Jack to the ground.

Scythe-like blades swung above, cutting deep into the flesh of Naruto's back. He cried out in pain, a clawed hand swiping behind him to slash the beast's body. The foul smell of their blood hit his nose as it ran over his hand. The creature shrieked in pain, pulling away from the attack and sending all others to cower. Johns whirled at Naruto's groan of pain, and blasted into the dark, hitting the predator square in the back. Light beams leaped around, searching for the wounded blonde and whimpering Jack. The predator was down, but so was Naruto. Even with the warning of death in the air, creatures started to swarm again.

"Naruto," Jack wiggled out from underneath the panting man. "Naruto, are you okay?"

She felt him shaking. He was hurt, really hurt. The gash in his back was deep, and the blood was flowing freely—gushing really. The wound would have been fatal if he wasn't more than human. It was almost to the spine, and the pain was blinding. His limbs were numb and they wouldn't move even as he commanded them to. Jack was scared and vulnerable, and Naruto was no use to her in his state.

There was gunfire and light. It was moving to them fast, but not fast enough. Inquisitive clicks made the blonde quake as he struggled to move. Arms pushed up, and legs slid in the blood slicked dirt. Jack was by him, tugging at his shirt; trying to help him stand. With his demonic eyes, he could see the creatures creeping up languidly, like the predators that they were. Suddenly, Jack's worried fingers were gone, and Naruto was struck with fear even though he didn't hear any screams.

Then, hands were on his shoulders, turning him onto his back. He let out a strangled scream at the searing pain that flew across his nerve endings. Those same hands scooped underneath him, picking his limp form off of the ground. Gritting his teeth, Naruto clutched at a strong shoulder, his claws leaving angry red lines on the tan skin there. He could only smell the copper of blood, and couldn't see past the tears in his eyes.

Within a few moments they were in the light again, but even with the new luminescence Naruto couldn't make out his savoir. Jack was there though, sniffling pitifully for the broken boy. He was set down on his stomach, and the survivors crowded around him with concern. There were sobs as they caught the gory horror of his back, and his shirt was torn off of him so that they would pour alcohol over the open wound. Strong hands held him down as he thrashed against the unwelcome burning, more tears in his red eyes, pain in his voice as he let out half-broken sobs.

"Enough!" He barked out, voice strained as his fists clenched and unclenched in the dirt. "_Enough_… I'll be _fine_. I'll heal. Save the bottles—I'll be fine."

They were tempted to ignore his words, but watched in amazement as the cut started to heal right before their eyes. Shazza fell to her knees next to him, taking his hand in hers as he squirmed. It was uncomfortable to watch as the blood seemed to boil, and the torn skin mended itself slowly. His shirt was shredded into strips, and wrapped tightly over the wound. A firm hand gripped his elbow and pulled him to his feet. Naruto staggered forward—legs like jelly—as he hit a firm chest. He looked up at his hero with a bleary gaze, meeting silver eyes that asked a silent question: Are you okay?

The pain was still there, but it was fading as he grabbed the welding torch from Shazza's outstretched hands. "I'm fine. We have to keep moving."

Fry stared at him, stock-still with her eyes swimming in question. "What _are_ you?"

Naruto tired not to flinch, but the words stung like she'd slapped him. "I'm the guy trying to save you. If we don't get moving, we'll run out of light—" Suddenly, the power cell with the blue tube lighting jerked off the sled and went skidding into the darkness. Glancing around quickly, he searched for a missing face. "Where's Paris?"

It seemed that in all the confusion, Paris had been left in the dark. He crawled away, stinking of cowardess as he took their main light supply with him. He pulled farther and farther away until suddenly, the lights started to power down and fade. He'd ripped the generator from the cell that supplied them their light. The blue glow died, leaving the group to their flame and Paris in the dark.

"Oh, sweet Jesus…" He said, digging in his robes for a lighter, the bottle of alcohol he'd had still in hand.

He fumbled with it, frowning as clicking encompassed him before suddenly stopping. He flicked the lighter on, light brightening his face. He took a large gulp of booze, glancing around blindly in the night before he blew out the alcohol from his mouth over the flame. A cloud of fire burst into the black, sending the surrounding creatures into a shrieking frenzy. Suddenly, the bottle dropped. The blood flowed. The clicking started again.

Faces whipped around, but they couldn't reach him in time before his death scream seared through the night. Paris was gone. He'd been snatched away by a swooping blur. Light-beams jumped fitfully, vainly as they searched, but Naruto and Riddick already knew. Red and silver eyes peered into the night, seeing predators feasting on the Englishman. Carrying a youngling on its back, a female predator arrived late and couldn't find a way through the trough. With shocking apathy, it whipped the youngling off of its back and began to devour it. Other predators started in-fighting, killing themselves for food.

Naruto almost gagged at the sight, and his knees buckled again as a shock of pain ripped through his back. He pitched forward, a trembling hand covering his mouth as he waited for the impact with the ground. Instead, Riddick moved with a rapid ease, catching him before he could hit the ground. The blonde slumped in his hold, tremors shaking him in the taller man's clutches as he clenched his eyes shut tight.

"What do you see?" Fry asked, still looking at the other blonde as if he were some sort of disease, and when all she received was a shuddering breath, she looked up. "Riddick?"

Before he could answer, Naruto was getting steadily on his feet and turning to face Fry with a hard look. "Hunger. I see sixty years of hunger."

Riddick looked back to the feeding beasts. The clicking passed between them, a kind of communication as well as a way to see in the utter dark. Their attention was drawn over to the light, to the object of their desire—rather, _objects_. Jack stood there, looking with concern at Naruto as the blonde tried to give her a reassuring smile. The monster's clicking increased in tempo as something tasty smelling hit the air. They wanted Jack… but why?

He sniffed the air, smelling the blood there. It wasn't just from Paris and Naruto—It was Jack. Jack was bleeding. An eyebrow rose over a silver eye as the clicking went up to something almost deafening. Now they were smelling something else—not blood—something animal. More animal than Riddick. Naruto limped a bit as he walked down to the end of the sled with the welding torch in his hand, and the beasts in the dark purred with delight. Their object of desire was Jack. Their object of complete satisfaction was Naruto.

* * *

Clouds had begun amassing in the sky, blotting out blackness with an even darker black that seemed to consume the planet. Into a rising wind, the survivors ranged on. Jack was carrying a bottle of Jack Daniels with a cloth stuffed and lit at the mouth of the glass. Naruto seemed to be handling the rear-point fairly well, until the cutter in his hands started to sputter. He cursed, watching as it died. He was still healing, so he couldn't fight any monsters off if the dark chose to snap him up.

Twisting around, he picked up him speed, making it to Jack and her light before the cutter died. Ditching it, he snatched the bottle from Jack's hand and gave her a tight smile. She looked scared and it hurt to see that fear. Setting his hand on her shoulder, he gave it an assuring squeeze which earned him a bright grin.

"Bottle-count," He said after a moment, letting his hand run over the girl's scalp.

"Four fulls, one half." She stated with renewed confidence. "That means we're halfway there? I hope?"

It was a great question. After having steadied out, Naruto had urged the party on. They couldn't waste anymore bitch light. Fry had been reluctant after seeing what had happened with Naruto's back, but Shazza seemed to have worked her magic and easily subdued their pilot. The only other problem was bitch Johns; something about Naruto had attracted the man to him, and that attraction bitch seemed to have doubled—Johns had a thing for power. The pilgrims had simply accepted Naruto as their savior—the young boy, Ali, was even calling him 'Ibn Allah'. Which, as flattering as it was, was a bit over the top. Riddick had taken lead once again, and they'd been blindly following the light on his back ever since.

The smell of Jack's blood on the air made his insides clench, and he looked down at her for a moment before calling up to the front, "Can we pick up the pace?"

Working like a mule, Fry growled to herself. "If you think you can do any better…"

Naruto heard and was about to comment about how he _had_ done better when Shazza nudged Fry. The blonde woman gave her a sheepish look and they whispered to each other for a moment until falling silent, hands intertwined. Johns watched the exchanged with a roll of his eyes, but suddenly froze. Abruptly, he slapped an arm across Imam's chest, bringing the whole line to a halt.

Blue eyes were trained on the dirt ground, and Naruto followed his trail of sight and gasped. They'd been going in circles—They were going in _circles_! The sound of a gun ratcheting brought him back to reality, and he looked up sharply to see Johns out of his chains. He moved forward with purpose, and with a quick, jerky motion he jammed his shotgun into the back of Riddick's neck.

"We aren't completely stupid," He growled, finger hovering over the trigger.

The clicking that hovered just outside the light seemed to get faster, but it was quiet enough that the others wouldn't hear unless they tried. The violence excited them. Naruto handed the bottle down to Jack, stepping forward after Johns and ushering everyone else close to the battery cells. The blonde man walked with a bit of a limp, eyes bleeding from blue to purple on his tan face. He couldn't go crimson while he was still wounded and healing.

"Stay in the light," He called over his shoulder, making his way next to Johns. "We need to stay in the fuckin' light."

"We crossed our own tracks," He bit back, finger twitching. "He's running us 'round in circles. Look for yourself. Look!"

"I _know_," Naruto hissed, putting his hand on the muzzle of the gun, which earned him a rather heated look from Johns. "Riddick?" He pushed the barrel of the gun down, gritting his teeth as the bald man turned to face them. "What the hell are you—"

"_Listen_," he said, voice rumbling low like gravel.

Johns quieted, and so did the chattering of the group a few yards behind. Naruto knew what they would hear because he'd been listening to it the entire time. It was like a hundred Geiger-counters sitting right next to a truck load of plutonium. It rode on the wind like an omen, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Johns gulped, sweat trickling down his temple as the gun in his grip went lax. Naruto scanned him apprehensively, violet eyes gleaming in the bit of light that they had. Naruto grabbed the man by the shirt, quivering as the clicking intensified for a moment, and dragged Johns back toward the sled. Riddick followed not too far behind, but stayed in the shadows when they stopped in the light. Naruto looked to him then, the unbridled trust making itself known again as amethyst met silver. It sent a shock right through Riddick, making him want the powerful man all the more.

"Canyon ahead," he said, never taking his eyes from Naruto's. "I circled once to buy us some time to think."

"Think about what?" Shazza asked, accent thick.

"About how to kill us and still get these cells to the skiff," Johns growled, hand clenching on his gun again.

He was about to level it at the man's head when Naruto snatched it out of his hands with lightening reflexes. He flipped it over his shoulder, catching it in his other hand with a confidant look. Everyone watched as he yanked the rifle open and let the shells inside spill to the ground. Johns' hackles seemed to rise and his blue eyes narrowed.

"Goddamnit, we're just doin' the heavy lifting for this prick!"

Johns was pleading with him, trying to get him to let the merc finally do the villain, and Naruto simply shook his head. "No one else is dying."

Shazza looked between all three of the men before training her gaze solely on Riddick. "Think about _what_?"

"About the girl," He replied, still not breaking the hold with Naruto.

"What?" Shazza asked in confusion.

Riddick spotted a flash of realization hidden within violet orbs as the smaller of the two took a step forward, brow raised. "What about her?"

"What it's gonna be like when we hit that canyon," Riddick said. "With her bleeding. With you bleeding."

Naruto's face went up in flames. His back ached at the mention of the pain he knew was there. There was a soft tug at his cargo pants, and he looked down to see a rather pale Jack. He snatched her free hand up into his, squeezing it softly as she looked up at him with a hardly hidden horror.

"What're you jaw-jackin' about?" Johns growled, glancing longingly at his shotgun before resting a piercing blue glare on Riddick. "Girls' aren't cut. Not like him."

"No," He agreed, giving a slight nod as his silver orbs landed on Jack, and it hit like a two-by-four. "She's not."

Jack's eyes darted around; she resembled a deer in the headlights as she squeezed Naruto's had in a death-like grip—even earning a wince from him as she confessed, " I didn't want you to leave me there… I was just pretending b-because I thought it would make it easier," She sniffed, tears filling her eyes as Naruto coddled her close. "I d-didn't want you to leave me… back at the ship…" she looked up at Naruto, sobbing softly because she thought maybe he didn't know. "That's why I didn't s-say anything—"

"Shh," He cooed in her ear, kneeling to the ground to hold her close as she cried against his shoulder.

Fry watched with concern for a moment until she, too, joined in comforting the girl. "We'd never have left you."

"Shoulda told us sooner, pet," Shazza added.

Johns stared for a moment before rolling his eyes. "Aw, this can't be happenin' to me…"

Jack seemed to calm her hysterics just long enough for Naruto to pull away. Fry and Shazza pulled her to them, both mother-henning as the blonde dragged a hand through his hair. He rolled his shoulders, testing the sting of pain there. Riddick and Johns seemed mesmerized by the rippling of taunt muscle for a moment until the half-demon cleared his throat.

"Done oogling?" He smirked, plucking at the sash wrapped over his chest and back until it came loose. The purple of his eyes darkened, going almost red, but it wasn't quite as intense as the deadly crimson from earlier.

Riddick stiffened, snapping out of it first. "They been nose-open for the both of you ever since we left. They go off blood—but they've been tracing you since they felt you feel them."

"Animals," Naruto muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Always getting in the way."

Riddick would've grinned if he hadn't seen the look of guilt flash across the boy's face. "How's the back?"

Naruto's smirk broadened. "Better. I can pull. If we keep Jack close, and move fast, we could make it."

"Yes," Imam added with a nod. "She'll be safe if we put her between—"

"There is no 'safe'." Riddick bit out, glaring at the old man before looking to Naruto. "And what about _you_?"

"_I_ can take care of myself," He snapped back, insulted a moment that Riddick thought he couldn't. "I can keep us safe as long as we're moving—"

"There is _no 'safe'_." He cut in, letting the wind carry a cloud of ominous clicks for effect.

Panic hit Naruto in the gut settled in nice and cozy as Riddick's words made him doubt his strength. "It's not gonna work. We gotta go back."

Johns brayed, turning on the blonde even as a tan hand clenched around his gun. "Hey, _you're_ the one who got me out here, turned me into a goddamn sled dog. An' now you 'spect me to go back like a _whipped_ dog?"

"I was wrong. I admit it," Naruto frowned, not liking the words that so easily slid past his lips. "My bad, okay? Now let's just go back to the ship."

"I dunno," Johns shrugged, blue eyes darting around the black. "Nice breeze, wide open spaces—you know, I'm startin' to enjoy myself out here."

Everyone watched in silence as Naruto let loose a low warning snarl, dropping the gun to the ground. He didn't need it. Johns' lip curled up into a sneer and he took a step closer to Naruto. Blue met red, and something snapped as Johns brought his hand back and across—back handing Naruto so hard it made the blonde stumble back a step. With a feral sound, he lunged, claws at the ready, until a well-muscled arm caught him and held him back. His razor like nails barely skimmed Johns' cheek before Naruto was jerked back.

"Jesus! Are you fucking high again?" Fry hissed at the merc, surprisingly taking Naruto's side. "Just listen to—"

"No, no, you're right, Naruto," Johns grinned bitterly, ignoring Fry with ease. "What's to be afraid of? My life is a steamin' pile of meaningless toadshit anyhow. So, I say much on!"

Naruto shook with anger, even as strong hands held him away from the mercenary. Soon, his canines were larger, and his pupils had shrunk to slits in the blood red of irises. Riddick watched him with an odd fascination, not even hiding the curious sniff he gave to the top of his head. _This _enraged Naruto was almost sexier than the lustful one… _Almost_. Riddick didn't think anything compared to his boy's trusting, hot-and-bothered azure gaze.

"Canyon's only a couple hundred meters, after that we're in Skiff City!" Johns exclaimed with a dry excitement. "So why don't you just butch up, stuff a cork in that kid, and get-"

"Naruto is brave and knows what he is doing," Imam broke in. "We should listen to him."

"Listen to him? _Him_?" Johns asked skeptically. "Do you even know what he _is_? Didn't you see it? Don't you see it _know_?"

Everyone paused a moment, looking to Naruto's wrathful gaze. They knew he wasn't right. They'd known since he first broke out of those spires with bright red eyes. He glanced at all of their faces, seeing disgust that wasn't there. Guilt melted away the anger, and suddenly they were all staring into sorrowful pools of summer sky. He wanted to protest—but couldn't.

"What's he talkin' about?" Jack sniffled, looking at Naruto through loving, trusting, caring brown eyes.

"Back at the village, he told me—"

Naruto cut him off with a pleading glare, "This doesn't help us, Johns."

"—that he was a demon," Johns stated. "A _demon_. Our lives have been in the hands of one of the things that's out there in the dark trying to kill us!"

Naruto struggled against Riddick's hold, "Shut up, Johns!"

"And have you seen the way these two are together?" He continued, oblivious to the many glares he was receiving. "Naruto's just as bad as the things we're running from. I'm sure he'd kill us in a moments notice if it burdened his plans to get off this rock. He's a monster."

If Johns had been winning any of the survivors over, he lost them with his comment about Naruto killing them. It just didn't click. If they were all just disposable, then the blonde wouldn't have saved them on more than one occasion."

"He's a monster, and he led us out here." Johns continued. "He's leading us to our death…"

He stopped struggling then, slumping in Riddick's hold. _'I'm a monster.'_

Fry cast him a sympathetic look before leveling a dark glare Johns' way. "We cannot go through there…"

"You're no better," Johns scoffed, turning his cold gaze on her. "Tried to kill us in our sleep, you did."

She reared back, brows knit together in hurt as he blurted out something she'd told him in confidence. Shazza steadied her, pale hands resting on her shoulders in comfort. Fry twisted around, tears in her eyes as she muttered an almost inaudible 'I'm sorry' as Shazza pulled her close.

"S'alright love," She said, eyes downcast as she ran her fingers through short blonde hair. "You didn't know us."

Johns rolled his eyes before looking back to Naruto. He seemed broken, there in Riddick's arms. The sight of something so strong being shattered so easily sent a shock of pleasure straight to Johns' gut. This buckled form of Naruto was something he'd wanted since he was first slugged across the jaw by the twenty year old. He smirked down at the blonde, lording over him triumphantly.

"How much do you weigh right now, Naruto?" Johns sneered. "Huh?"

"Fine, fine," Imam stepped forward, face hard as he pushed Johns back rather roughly. "You've made your point. We can all be so scared as you."

He scowled at him, snatching away the man's light. "Verdict's in. The light moves forward."

He pulled his chains back on after picking up his shotgun and reloading it, waiting only a moment until Imam and Shazza followed suit. Fry held Jack's hand as they moved forward, both tired and weary from the previous events. Riddick hesitated as the sled went past, feeling Naruto shift in his arms. The blonde looked up through teary eyes before blushing and pushing himself upright. He palmed the back of his head, chuckling guiltily with tears still streaming down his cheeks. Riddick watched for a moment, taking in how the forced laugh slowly morphed into sobs. Naruto covered his mouth, trying to stop the crying with no avail, and squeezed his eyes shut tight.

Riddick stepped forward then, placing a kiss on the smaller man's forehead before he whispered, "The only monster here is Johns and me. And we're about to have us one less monster."

**Nice and long don't you think???**

**Hope you all liked it,**

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	15. Chapter 15

_Riddick watched for a moment, taking in how the forced laugh slowly morphed into sobs. Naruto covered his mouth, trying to stop the crying with no avail, and squeezed his eyes shut tight. _

_Riddick stepped forward then, placing a kiss on the smaller man's forehead before he whispered, "The only monster here is Johns and me. And we're about to have us one less monster." _

**

* * *

**

They trudged on, feet scuffling in the dirt. They were slower now, building their reserves for the canyon. Naruto trailed at the rear point, much to Riddick's chagrin (he didn't want him so far away), like a broken rudder. Riddick was at point, leading them through the dark while Shazza, Imam and Suleiman pulled the sled. Jack shook with Ali as they and Fry walked along side the sled, a light in hand.

Naruto kept his gaze down, not wanting to look up and see the familiar glares of hate. If he could still do it, he would have taken Jack and poofed away like Kakashi had taught him a centuries before. Oh, how he wished he still remembered his ninja ways. He could save them easily with some of the things he used to do. Luckily, his senses were still sharp—_sharper_, even.

Over the humming and chanting of the Chrislams, Naruto listened as Johns fell into step with Riddick. He bristled, not liking the blue eyes devil so close to his Riddick. He sped up a moment, tapping Fry on the shoulder as a signal. She looked back at the blonde, a smile on her face but guilt in her eyes. She felt horrible for seeing him in such a way after watching his back heel. She was about to speak when he shook his head, glancing forward. She looked from his face to the two men up ahead, and understood. With a jerk of his head, he gestured to the tail. She nodded, grabbing a spare light before heading back.

Jack whipped around as the woman moved away, only to face plant into Naruto's chest. He let out a low chuckle, the silent conversation he'd shared with Fry making him feel a little better. A little more light hearted. He ran his hand over Jack's short hair, and kept her moving forward with the group. He grabbed Ali's hand and had Jack hold it while the small girl gripped the light in her other hand like a lifeline.

"Stay together," He muttered before slipping past and into the shadows.

His eyes glowed in the dark. Red orbs tracked the creatures and he snarled softly, warding them off. They stayed a good ways away, sensing his power now that he was back to an almost full strength. He felt as though he would never be as strong as he was before he'd landed on this planet and met Riddick. Something was happening to the demon half of him. It was like every moment he spent near the murderer, his power was sucked away.

It was just _gone_.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it," Johns commented, bringing Naruto out of his thoughts.

"Just realized that, huh?" Riddick replied with a dry grin.

Clicking echoed near Naruto, and he whipped around, swiping at the beast with a clawed hand. The sound of a gun going off had the blonde dropping to the dirt with a low grunt. It drove the animals off, and reminded everyone who had the Big Gauge. Silver eyes looked out into the night, like liquid mercury, they gleamed with amusement as he spotted Naruto in the black. He kept his mouth shut, letting the ghost of a smile play on his lips.

"Nine of us left," Johns continued. "If we could get through that canyon and lose just _one_, that'd be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?"

"Not if I'm the one," He shot back, gulping back the sudden concern for his blonde out there in the black.

He cast a quick glance at him again, meeting red eyes. He gestured at him wildly, in a way that made Riddick think that Naruto _was_, in fact, the age he looked. But he know that wasn't true. If he needed help, he would say so. Thought the idea of him out there with those things around him didn't bode well with his gut. Naruto said he could take care of himself, but Riddick couldn't help the compelling urge to keep him safe from anything and everything. Including himself.

"What if you're one of eight?" Johns said, catching his full attention.

Riddick stared at him, long and hard, for a moment. "I'm listening…"

Naruto's breath hitched. Was Riddick serious? Or was he just playing along? Biting his lower lip, he kept tracking them through the night. He could only hope and believe that Riddick had their best intensions in mind. Red eyes glanced ahead, seeing the boneyard they'd passed through every time that they went to the small city. They were almost to the canyon. He ducked behind a bleached bone, listening to the men's conversation with digression.

* * *

Jack gripped Ali's hand tightly. She scanned the wall of blackness, trying to spot any sign of Naruto. She sighed dejectedly after a moment before looking forward. Spotting Johns being friendly with their murderer was an odd sight indeed.

"What're they doin' up there?" she asked Ali, as if he knew the answer.

Instead of answering her, he shot the question to Imam in rapid Arabic.

The schooled man shrugged, struggling with his pulling. "Talking about the canyon, I suppose."

Shazza nodded, panting softly before saying with a grunt. "Tryin' to figure out how ta get our sorry arses through, luv."

Listening to the conversation from her spot in the back, Fry looked up once again. It was strange to see Johns and Riddick walking side by side. Like they were equals. Like they were partners. Her brows furrowed and she thought about Naruto.

**

* * *

**

"Look, it's hellified stuff—but no different then those battlefield doctors when they have to decide who lives and who dies." Johns stated like it was something completely ordinary. "It's called 'triage', okay?"

Naruto frowned. It was clicking in his head and falling into place far faster than normal. It was probably because it was a maneuver that Sasuke would have used in battle. The blonde's dislike for the man only grew as he made that connection.

"Kept calling it 'murder' when I did it," Riddick muttered like a kicked puppy, making the ex-ninja smile.

"Either way," Johns brushed it off. "figure it's something you can grab onto."

Naruto watched as the man's silver eyes gleamed. He'd doped it out. The blonde smiled as Riddick's lips twitched down for a moment before he played it off. He couldn't help the relief that washed through him. Riddick didn't _want_ to kill. Much like Itachi never had.

"Sacrifice play," He said sagely. "Hack up one body, leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum."

"_Trawl_ with it." Johns said, and Naruto cringed at the thought. "There's a cable on the sled. We can drag the body behind us."

"Nice embellishment."

"Don't wanna feed these land-sharks—" Naruto thought briefly of Kisame. "Just keep 'em off our scent."

Riddick nodded, looking back over his shoulder. "So, which one caught your eye?"

"Don' look, don' look, _don' look_…" Johns hissed, keeping his gaze ahead while he grit his teeth. "Haven't you ever heard of _tact_?"

* * *

Fry's face contorted as Riddick glanced their way, but Johns didn't. She gulped and looked around a moment, searching for Naruto. She had to know what to do. Riddick's look and Johns' non-look were signals. She didn't know how they were, but she felt it. When she couldn't spot the other blonde, she called up to the front of their party.

"Imam," She said, voice hoarse. "Slow down."

"What?" Shazza looked at the woman over her shoulder.

"Don't stop, just slow down." She ordered, picking up her pace a moment to match Shazza's stride and pressed a hand on her shoulder. "Little more space 'tween us and them."

"I would rather we all stay—" Imam glanced back at the group and frowned. "Where's Naruto?"

"He's busy," Fry said softly, getting his attention. "Imam. Just do what I say. Please."

He sighed, but nodded his consent. Shazza eased up with the two men, looking to Fry for any explanation. Her bright eyes spoke in volumes to the blonde, and the only answers she could give were a worried glance ahead, and a tangling of her fingers with Shazza's.

**

* * *

**

"So," Riddick paused, looking to Johns. "Who?"

"The girl, Jack," Johns supplied. "She's bleeding already. Those things have a nose for her, right?"

He shrugged. "Suppose so. But they got a nose for your newest verbal punchin' bag, too."

Naruto hissed. If Johns thought he was laying a hand on _any_ of them—Well, that hand might just get chopped off. His fists clenched and unclenched at the thought of killing another human being, but it was something he'd be willing to do for someone he cared about. For his special people.

"Yeah," Johns said, almost solemnly. "What a total waste of a perfect piece of ass. It's a sacrifice we might have to make. Especially considering how attached he is to that lil' rugrat.

"So we're killing off_ two_ people?" Riddick asked for clarification.

"What do you care?" Johns snapped.

"I don't."

"Good," He smirked. "Surprising though… I kinda thought you had a thing for short, tan, and demonic."

"Kinda thought the same thing about you," Riddick replied, a strange anger building up inside.

"Like I said, he's a fine piece of ass," Johns reiterated. "But he's just that—a piece of ass. You know the kind."

Rage boiled softly under Riddick's indifferent mask just at the thought. He knew that kind. He knew it quite well. He also knew that Naruto _wasn't_ and couldn't _ever be_ 'that' kind.

Naruto himself was offended. Sure, Johns was a prick—_that_ he was well aware off. He just hadn't quite realized just _how_ prickish Johns was until just then. He silently wished a more horrible death than what Riddick had promised to provide…

"I assume you still got a shiv," Johns stated, looking him over.

Riddick caught his gaze sharply. "What, you 'spect _me _to do it?"

"What's one of two more?" Johns shrugged nonchalantly. "Like _these_ are the ones that send you to Hell?"

The bald man shook his head, a bitter grin on his face. Killing Naruto _would_ send him to Hell in his mind. "Oh, you're a piece of art, Johns. They oughtta hand you up in a museum somewhere. Or forget the museum—maybe they should just hang you."

"Awright," He sighed, running a hand through his short, brown hair. "You do them, and I'll keep the others off your back."

Riddick stopped, turning away from Johns. He spotted Naruto hidden behind the large bones that were scattered across the dirt. Red eyes studied him, waiting for his reaction, but trusting him to do right. He turned, facing Johns once again.

He scoffed, looking quite disbelieving. "Aw, don' tell me you're growin' scruples."

Riddick shook his head slowly. "Just wonderin' if they won't be enough. If we don't need a bigger piece of chum."

"Like who, Mr. Chrislam?" He asked, not completely indifferent to the idea.

Riddick just stared at him a moment, eyes gleaming like mercury in the artificial light. Johns tensed as that gaze fell on him, his own eyes going sharp before widening. Their new partnership was splitting and splintering right down the middle.

He grinned devilishly, and Naruto shivered in delight at the look on the man's face. "Like Mr. Johns."

Riddick made a quick play for the shotgun, and Johns jerked back. It blasted skyward, screaming against the clouds, and Naruto flinched away from the sound. The lights went out, and suddenly it was pitch black again. Just as soon as the darkness was surrounding them, suffocating them, it was being brightened by a green flare in Johns' hand.

**

* * *

**

As soon as the fight had erupted, Fry was ushering the group backwards. They were going to get themselves dead. They were going to get _them_ dead. She couldn't hide the panic in her eyes as Jack gasped.

"Bring the light!" She spat out, grabbing Shazza by the arm to pull her back.

"What're they doing?" Jack asked, eyes darting around, searching hopelessly for Naruto and an explanation. "What're _we_—"

Shazza cut in, taking lead with Fry as they stumbled through the dark in an orb of light. "Leave the soddin' sled. Let's go, go, _go_!"

* * *

Johns' flare dropped. It hit the dirt with a soft thud, creating an arena of illumination. Naruto drew near to the green glow, oblivious to the fast clicking so close to him. Still struggling, Riddick and Johns somehow managed to gang-aim the shotgun. They blasted right by the blonde's head, causing him to emit a shrill yelp as it scared the clicking away. His back ached a moment before adrenaline started pumping through his half-blood veins.

Suddenly, the shotgun went free. It clattered to the ground somewhere near the flare. Johns lunged for it, but Riddick kicked it into the night before the merc could get close. Next thing Johns knew was that he was weaponless, and Riddick had pulled a shiv on him.

"Gotta stay in the light, Johns," Riddick said, sneer on his lips. "That's the only rule."

Johns circled inside the light, keeping parallel with Riddick like predator and prey. Johns was sure that he wasn't the former at the moment. Fucking with him, Riddick started poking and jabbing, backing him up against the wail of dark. Johns stumbled a second, glancing down to see a bone. A club. A _weapon_.

Riddick found his own as Johns picked it up, and them they're going at it like cavemen. High swing here. Low swing there. Riddick bear on Johns' club-hand, breaking fingers, and forcing him to drop the bone. Forcing him to drop his only defense. Just trying to get away, Johns made a desperate lunge for the light, but…

Riddick shived open his back.

"Remember that moment?" He asked, low and dark.

His back was split open, much like Naruto's had been. Blood was gushing freely and the blonde watched from the shadows as Riddick dogged Johns even in his state. It made the half-demon a little sick to see such cruelty—such taunting. Yet, at the same time, he felt excited and nervous. Would Riddick match the strength of his youth? The sight of this horror made him wonder, and it made him crave the spar that was yet to come.

"Shoulda never took the chains off, Johns," He said, still dogging him. "You were one brave fuck, before. Now look at you. Oh, yeah, you were Billy Bad-ass with your gauge… with your chains…"

Johns found his shotgun, "And I'm still Billy Bad-ass."

He swept around with the light and gun, ready to kill. Only, he met blackness instead off his prisoner. There's an echo on the wind that sends a chill down Johns' spine. _'Just one rule…'_ There was clicking behind him, and he whirled just in time to see something big coming for him.

He blasted it back into the night, dropping the light as he did so. Eyes in the back of his head, he swirled around again and took aim at another bull-rushing predator. He triggered a bad round. Crazed and half-high, he ratcheted and leveled the shotgun for another try. He was too late.

He glanced to the ground only for a moment, but it was long enough for him to spot the ejected shell from his gun as it rolled to a stop. It was red. Johns had loaded a morphine shell into the dark.

Naruto gasped as the man was skewered by the armpits. The predator lifted him off the ground and 'stared' blindly at it's prey. It emitted a deceptively gentle cooing sound as it clicked to him, as if to sooth the fear off his face. Suddenly, the beast reared back it's head before slamming it forward. Hitting Johns with the full force of its skull-blade, it split him in two. Naruto looked away, face screwed up in disgust when a hand landed on his arm. He let out a sharp cry as he was tugged along like a rag doll, but didn't do anything to stop the person pulling him. He was far to busy trying to get Johns' torn body out of his mind…

**

* * *

**

They were running, stumbling through the dark. Fry lead them, trying to back track the sled marks. Checking for pursuit, she glanced over her shoulder a moment, only to crash into Riddick. He was just standing there, waiting for them in the dark.

"Back to the ship, huh?" He asked, glancing at all of their weary faces.

"Get out of our way," She warned, not sure if he was going to help them or kill them.

"So everybody huddles together 'till the lights burns out?" He asked, ignoring her glare. "Until you can't see what's eating you? That the big plan?"

Imam frowned as Fry fell silent, sick of the over bearing testosterone on this planet. "Where's Mr. Johns?"

Riddick almost smiled, "Which half?"

The dark, holy man paled. "You mean…"

Conflicted, they all looked back to where the green flare had burned out. Jack came to first. She shoved past all the adults before she was standing right before the Richard B. Riddick. She had a stubborn, indignant look on her face that earned her a strange sort of respect from the killer. He looked down at her, raising an eyebrow as she stayed firm but her lips trembled.

"Where's Naruto?" She half growled, half whimpered.

Riddick paused a moment before he pulled his hand out from behind him, bringing Naruto's lithe form with it. The blonde was flush with embarrassment and in a complete daze from what had just occurred. What he could've stopped. What he should've stopped. He spotted the girl and she started to puddle up as she saw him. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing softly as Naruto ran his fingers through her short hair.

"Gonna lose everybody out here…" She sniffled, burying her face in Naruto's chest, and he only held her closer.

Riddick looked pensive a moment before he spoke. "He died fast. And if we got any choice, that's the way we should all go out." He looked to Jack specifically, lowering his voice for only her and Naruto to hear. "Don't you cry for Johns. Don't you dare."

* * *

They were at the of the canyon—the gauntlet of it. It was in full cry then, clicking echoed off the walls. The sound of battling bone-blade's smashing into each other and the mating cries mingled together in the among the cacophony of sound, as well as the rending of flesh and snapping of tendon. Far below the peaks of the canyon, the crash survivors were huddled in the light near the beginning of the gauntlet. Predators swarmed, perched in the foreground. They appeared to be hulking silhouettes as they 'watched' from the canyon rim.

The survivors were but eight: Naruto, Riddick, Fry, Shazza, Jack, Ali, Imam, and Sulieman. Their faces were painted and stricken with horror as the sounds from the canyon met them dead on. There had to be countless predators ahead. Naruto shivered, walking up to Riddick cautiously. His eyes had deactivated, so he was blind, just like the other mortals around him, to anything outside the light. Riddick tensed a moment as the shorter man placed a shaking hand on his arm.

"Hey," He said, eyes darting around the black. "How many do you see?"

"One or two," Riddick responded, taking the closeness of the man to his advantage by scenting him. The strange smell of sweat, blood, fear, lust, and ramen met his nose, and he grinned. Naruto was still attracted to him even with all the chaos. He could smell it, and he could see it hidden in the depths of azure eyes.

"Jack?" Naruto called over his shoulder.

She looked up, alarmed for a moment before her mind caught her. "Three full bottles. But almost time to refill."

He frowned. "Doesn't seem like enough to turn back on, does it?"

"Only see one way." Riddick stated, catching everyone's attention with ease. "Keep the girl in the middle. Light up everything we got—and run through like dogs on fire."

There was a long beat as everyone processed what it was Riddick was telling them to do.

"And what about the cells?" Naruto asked with a tilt of his head, his hand still pressed against Riddick's hot skin.

He could feel his pulse. He could feel the pounding of blood in the man's veins. It made his mouth dry when Riddick looked down at him with those wild jaguar eyes. His stomach churned a moment before he pulled away from the man. _'This is no time to make googley eyes.'_

"I'll take those," He finally said, tearing his gaze away from his blonde to look at all the others.

Fry gave him a long, hard glance. "We're just here to carry your light, aren't we? Just the torch bearers?"

The man tensed again, face cold as he replied, "Let's drop back an' boot up."

**

* * *

**

They fell back to the boneyard, the larger protruding skeletons seeming to come from the planet herself. It gave them cover, albeit creepifying cover, as they worked to get ready for full burn. They were going to have to blast through like their lives depended on it—because _they did_.

The crew was busy lashing the power cells together into one queue as the sound of clicking racked on their nerves. Working amid the giant bones, Riddick and Naruto were crafting a new harness from old straps. Riddick kept casting the shirtless man hungry glances, much to the blonde's oblivion. Close behind him, Imam was muttering in Arabic, distracting Riddick for a moment.

"What're you doin'?" He asked, brow raised.

"Blessing you like the others," Imam supplied with a calm face. "It's painless."

"And pointless," Riddick huffed, returning to his work.

Imam stared at him for a beat before speaking again, "I see. Well, even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean He won't believe in you—"

"You _don't_ see." He snarled, cutting into the holy man's speech as he shrugged into the harness, ignoring the pointed look Naruto gave. "Cuz you don't spend half your life in lock-down with a horse-bit in your mouth and not believe. And you _surely_ don't start out in a liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and _not_ believe. Oh, absolutely I believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker."

The holy man was stumped, but only for a second—he wouldn't be swayed. "He will be with us. Nonetheless."

"Give my blessing to the girl," Riddick said, almost sarcastically. "She needs a spare."

Imam nodded solemnly before walking off to perform the task. The other two men stayed where they were, just far enough away from the group as not to be heard. The large ribcage of dead animals blocked the other survivors' sight as well, but not so that the light wasn't there to keep them safe from the beasts. Naruto watched as Imam walked away for a moment before turning to see those hungry, silver eyes.

He cleared his throat awkwardly as he stood before the large man. He kept his gaze downcast, any way to avoid meeting Riddick's eyes. His fingers locked around the makeshift harness, and he tugged it so that it sat securely around the murderer's taunt muscles. Clearing his throat again, he took a step back and scratched his head.

"Do you believe in God?" Riddick asked suddenly, earning a wide eyed stare from the blonde as his head jerked up in surprise and their gazes clashed together.

It only took an expected look from him to snap Naruto out of his momentary shock. "Do I believe in God? Do I believe that some… entity, if you will, placed me on Earth-that-was to be tortured every second of my childhood for something that I had no control over? Do I believe that His Righteousness put me there to stay young forever and watch _every_ civilization crumble?" He let out a bitter laugh, and Riddick frowned as something dark wormed it's way into Naruto's eyes. "_Do I believe_ that _God_ put me through hell and back again, and again, and _again_?" His voice softened for a moment, eyes glossing over. "Do I believe that God left me here to watch every person I ever loved die?

"No," He sniffed, covering his sorrow with anger and indifference. "I _don't_ believe in God. After all the hundreds of thousands of years that I've been alive, I've never even _once_ seen a shred of proof that _God_ was watching over _His_ people. I've seen some amazing things—done quite a few of them—but it's nothing that makes me have faith that somewhere, out there, God is watching.

"Funny though," He laughed again. "Considering what I am. What these things here are. I mean, I should, of all people, believe in _something_. But I don't. And if I did… Well, I guess I'd hate the fucker, too."

Riddick didn't like the mask that seemed to fall onto Naruto's whiskered face. The bits of story he'd received only made him hate 'God' all the more. Blue eyes stared up at him dully, numb from any past pain. The ex-convict frowned as Naruto looked away with a low, drawn out sigh. He ran a shaky hand through his spiked hair, glancing over at the group for a second before looking back up at Riddick.

Suddenly, he was being shoved back against the broad expanse of bone behind him, his chin tipped up by Riddick's fingers as a way to force eye contact. Riddick wanted to see a shine in those azure orbs. His lips crashed down against the smaller man's, and Naruto mewled. Hot hands were on him, tracing the lithe muscle and the white scars that littered tan skin. Riddick nipped at his lower lip, commanding entrance into his mouth, but Naruto kept his sealed tight. Smirking against his mouth, Riddick tangled his fingers deep into his gold locks before slipping his leg between Naruto's. He rose it slowly, feeling as the smaller man tensed while also pressing tightly to him, until his thigh hit him dead on, sending a shock of pleasure quaking through him. His back arched as he clutched Riddick's shoulders, letting out a low moan, and giving the other man passage into his mouth.

There was heat low in his stomach, and it was spreading slowly through him. He hadn't noticed how cold he'd been until this warmth over-came him. It felt as though every bit of strength that he'd lost on this planet was slowly coming back ten-fold. His toes curled in delight as Riddick's tongue pushed past his teeth, delving in, and dominating the kiss. He pulled the man closer, tighter, more flush against his body. He needed the connection. Something inside him fluttered, pulling taunt as the passionate embrace wore on. Lips moved heatedly against lips, and their mouth worked against each other in a frenzied dance. Naruto clung to him, afraid that if he let go, Riddick would disappear. Riddick kept one hand tangled in the man's messy, gold locks—loving the silky feel of it between his finger tips.

His other hand, however, was wandering. His fingers slid across Naruto's skin, feeling the fire beneath the softness. Gripping his hips, he tugged them forward and groaned quietly at the friction. Naruto arched his back, letting out a strangled noise as Riddick pulled from the kiss. Something along the lines of "don't stop" must've escaped him because suddenly Riddick was attacking his neck. He moaned, eyes half cast as he tilted his head back for the taller man. Riddick kissed and bit and licked his way down a tan jugular, reveling in how the flavor of his skin seemed to burst addictively in his mouth. If he could only use one word to describe it, he'd say it tasted like Naruto.

Eventually, Naruto had to bite his lower lip to keep from making anymore noises. It was embarrassing to be so reduced down into a pile of clingy goo. Every time Riddick so much as _looked_ at him his insides quivered. But with this onslaught of _feeling_ he hadn't had in _so long_, he felt as though he'd completely melted. Suddenly, Riddick's thigh moved, and Naruto couldn't help but gasp as pleasure shot from his groin, straight up his spine.

Riddick chuckled darkly, moving his leg again and watched with fascination as Naruto's face contorted up in a cross between pleasure and desire for more. He wanted more. He must've said something like "more" because the other man bit down softly on his collar bone, almost leaving a mark—but he'd save that for later. Riddick licked his lips, tasting the reminisce of Naruto's, and untangled his fingers from the man's hair to trail a hot trail down his chest, across his stomach, and lower until—

"Naruto?" Jack's voice called to them, and conflict fell upon the blonde's face.

His hands turned from grapples, holding onto Riddick, into something cold as they pushed him back. Resolve settled into azure eyes, and Riddick sighed at the sight. He wasn't known for his patients, especially when he wanted something, and he _really_ wanted Naruto. He already saw the blonde as "his", and he needed to solidify that claim. Instead, Riddick nodded and stepped back. He would wait.

* * *

**Hey Ladies and Gents!**

**HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!**

**I hope you all enjoyed this especially long chapter. **

**Oh, and thanks for the OVER ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! I totally didn't even notice until my friend pointed it out to me today when I was showing him just "what" fanfiction was. **

**Also! I was originally going to stop this where Riddick was telling Jack not to cry over Johns, buuuuttttt I decided that I was feeling generous and continued so that you, my favorite people, could get some hot man on man goodness. **

**Hope you liked,**

**And if you did: REVIEW**

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	16. Chapter 16

_ He already saw the blonde as "his", and he needed to solidify that claim. Instead, Riddick nodded and stepped back. He would wait._

* * *

The torches were maxed out, burning non-stop in the pitch of the night. Fry, Imam, and Shazza had their own torches, and the fire licked the shadows away as they grouped together. Jack and Ali stayed in the center of it, huddled close as a way to keep them safe. Sulieman shook on the outer rim, clutching a hand light and smiling weakly at his elder. Imam nodded reassuringly at him. Fry gulped as she stared ahead into the dark, fear creeping along her skin until fingers laced with hers. Startled, she looked over, her rigid body relaxing slightly as Shazza gave her a small grin.

Naruto rubbed his hands together as he glanced away from them and back to Riddick's tall form. He'd put his goggles on, having no desire to see whatever horrors would be surrounding them. The blonde was worried for a fleeting moment about Riddick's ability to get through when he had to scoff softly to himself. There was only one path anyways: Straight through. The blonde took a step forward, adjusting the man's straps one last time. He told himself that he just wanted to make sure they were secure, but he knew that he really just needed the excuse to touch him. He relished the brushing of skin against skin, even as brief as it was. He glanced up, a blush staining his cheeks as he saw a knowing smirk on Riddick's face.

Suddenly though, the bald man was dead serious. "As fast as you can."

"Nani?" Naruto asked in his native tongue, stiffening but melting at the same time as Riddick trailed a finger down his unmarked stomach. The seal had disappeared a _long_ time ago, but suddenly a deep pulse pounded around his belly and it was everything Naruto could do to hide the surprise. It had been a _long_ time sense he's felt _that_.

"As fast as you can," Riddick repeated, catching the fractional widening of Naruto's gaze even as it flickered away. He's ask later. "You got it?"

"Can you keep up—"

"Naruto," His voice rumbled low. "As _fast_ as you can."

He nodded. "Got it."

* * *

They were on the move. In a slew of shots, they ran through the dark. Fry and Shazza were at the front, leading the group fast behind Naruto. Jack and Ali stumbled within their human shields. Sulieman tripped along at the back of the small group with Imam pulling him forward. Riddick was behind them all, face already tortured as he pulled 200 pounds of stubborn-mule cargo. Yet, somehow he was keeping pace. The torch flames, stretched by the wind, flanked them with fire.

They were in the Gauntlet by now, running blindly as predators launched from the rim. First came the hatchlings, streaming right into their faces before veering off at the last second, completely repulsed by the light. Next, came the feral sounds from overhead.

"Don't look," Riddick commanded.

Suddenly, a thick, gooey, blue liquid spattered them.

"Do _not_ look up." He growled.

More spattering. Naruto risked looking up, and stumbled when he beheld a ceiling of predators. At the cusp of the light, they dove and weaved and darted. Slashing each other in a rabid desire to sound out the humans below. Fear quaked through him, and his hand clenched around the light in his palm. It was like looking into a bucket of angry eels.

"Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going!" His voice whipped them like the Devil's coxswain.

Chastened, Naruto kept his eyes down and sped up. More blue blood showered down—soon to be followed by entrails dropping out of the sky. The sound of their screeching only barely drowned out the sick squelch of flesh meeting dirt. Naruto slipped a second on something slick and blue beneath his feet, but righted himself with ease. Only one question ran through his mind: Was this Hell itself?

Not far behind him, Imam muttered a mantra—first in Arabic and then again in English, "So dark the clouds around my way I cannot see, But through the darkness I believe God leadeth me. I gladly place my hand in His when all is dim, And closing my weary eyes, lean hard on Him…"

Soon, whole corpses were crashing down around them. The sad victims of in-fighting. Naruto started slaloming through the ghastly mess. Fry and Shazza followed suit, trying to get through easier. Sulieman passed too close to a bloody, grey corpse and it's blade sliced open his leg. Blood ran down his calf slowly, but he kept his mouth shut as the predators inhaled the scent. They were nearing the choke-point of the Gauntlet.

"Riddick?" Naruto called back, eyes widening at the sight before them. _"Riddick?"_

Ahead, a clot of dead predators blocked the canyon; Naruto was faintly reminded of the clotted capillaries that used to cause heart disease on Earth-That-Was. His face became grim, and he suddenly knew the only way through that dog pile was _over _it.

"What?" Jacked yelled over the noise. "What is it?"

"It's a fuckin' staircase! Go over it!" Riddick snapped, and repeated his command even as Naruto began scaling the cold, dead things. "_Go over it_!"

The group hesitated before the mound, but soon steeled themselves and started clambering up. Even the adults were struggling, and soon Ali was falling to his knees, bringing Jack with him. She was on all fours, not having time to stand back up with the speed that they were going. Her face twisted in disgust as she discovered the corpses with her hands. She let out a soft sob as she crawled, feeling Ali's tug as he tried to pull her back to her feet. Then, taking exception at being walked on, one "corpse" snapped at her. Recoiling hard sideways, she tumbled past a limping Sulieman, down the mound of death, and out into the open. She was exposed.

The sick scent of a young girl's fear practically smacked Naruto upside the head, and he whirled, eyes wild as he cried out, "Jack!"

He was darting back down past the group, trying to get to her before the predators did. Jack shook herself out of it, and scrambled for the cover of a large, bleached bone just as a beast kamikazed after her. Using the bone as a kind of shield, Jack was knocked back from the impaling force as the monster's bone-blades pierced the make-shift shield. It nearly skewered the girl. It was stuck for a moment, but it broke free and reared back it's head, going for another blow.

"Naruto!" Jack screamed, struggling beneath the weight of the beast as it pressed down on her. "_Naruto!_"

Rage boiled up under Naruto's skin, and he suddenly felt that thing that had been so taunt snap inside. There was a searing heat in his gut on his skin, and suddenly there was a chakra flow. The next thing that happened was pure instinct. Blue and orange was whipping around in his hand, and with a feral growl, he slammed the ball of energy into the side of the monster that was attacking _his_ girl. It went flying away with a screech even as Naruto's knees buckled beneath him.

Power rolled off of him in waves. He panted, staring numbly at his hand, and little flashes of memory sent his mind reeling for a moment. He had used Rasengan. He hadn't been able—I shouldn't have been able to do that. Every bit of chakra he'd ever had had been locked away after the merge with Kyuubi. He couldn't even do Sexi-no-Jutsu anymore! How—

Jack squirmed out from her hiding spot and enveloped him in an embrace. A sudden fatigue hit him, and an aching settled into his arm. He was pretty damn sure that he'd just almost broken every single bone in his right limb. The pulse pounded in his belly again, and he groaned a moment as a familiar pain shot through his veins. He'd felt this before, but it had been so, _so_ long ago.

"I was so scared," Jack muttered, and rapid clicking drew near as she pulled away. "Naruto… you're burning up."

He tried to smile, running his fingers through her hair, happy she was safe but he was completely confused. "I'm fine."

The clicking grew, and Naruto knew-- even before he was ducking and rolling with Jack in his arms back under the bone—that this one was a bigger beast. Something slammed down above them, but it was gone quickly enough as torch light caught it, making the creature steam and howl in pain. It tore clear, spun, and pounced blindly at Riddick who was standing at the lights edge. Stunningly, he caught the beast under it's scythe blades, blunting the ferocious attack. Clicking madly at him, it reared back it's head, ready to bisect Riddick in two.

Switch blade fast, Riddick dropped a hand and yanked Naruto's kunai over the belly of the beast. The thing crowed in pain as it was disemboweled, and fell to the ground dead. The blonde watched with wide eyes, and the fire in him seemed to crescendo for a moment as another pound in his stomach made him clench around Jack. Soon, Shazza, Fry, Imam, and Ali were gathered around them, lighting the scene with their torches and gawking at the two slaughtered beasts.

"Did _not_ know who he was fuckin' with," Riddick said, both about his own monster and the one that Naruto had slain.

The blonde rolled back out from under the bone, releasing Jack into the light as he struggled to his feet. The chakra was still flowing through him like a strong, addictive sedative, but it seemed that the knew release had slowed down his healing for the time being—his hand and arm still ached. Looking down, he saw the bruising caused by the rapid release of power that he shouldn't have been able to do. He clenched and unclenched his hand, feeling a numb pain as the chakra took the edge off like a drug.

They regrouped around him in the light, and Naruto felt a hot gaze on him. Glancing up, he noticed Riddick's eyes were on him, but they were low. Blushing, he looked down to his stomach and let out an inaudible gasp. There was the faintest outline of the seal pulsing on the tan skin around his belly button. No one else noticed even as he went stock still and called out in his mind, _'Kyuubi?'_

* * *

**Okay, so it's been a while for a post. And it's really short. Sorry about all that. I was temporarily occupied with AP exams. Not to worry though, not only am I back in action. I'm also almost done with the Pitch Black part of this three part (possibly four part) series. I hope you all enjoyed this chappy. **

**Please leave your love in the form of a review.**

**Much love,**

**And cyber cookies,**

**Tara**


	17. Chapter 17

_They regrouped around him in the light, and Naruto felt a hot gaze on him. Glancing up, he noticed Riddick's eyes were on him, but they were low. Blushing, he looked down to his stomach and let out an inaudible gasp. There was the faintest outline of the seal pulsing on the tan skin around his belly button. No one else noticed even as he went stock still and called out in his mind, 'Kyuubi?'_

* * *

After a moment of not receiving an answer, he sighed with relief. As much as he'd been lonely that past thousands of years, he did_ not_ need that dick chatting up storms and driving him completely bonkers all over again. Riddick' s gaze rose with Naruto's, and the blonde knew there was eye contact even through the goggles. Riddick tilted his head slightly, and Naruto shook his. The whole conversation went by quick and was unnoticed by the others because they were all too busy noticing how Imam's head was swiveling too and fro, searching. They were one person short.

"Sulieman!" He called out for his missing student.

"Get the girl back in the middle," Riddick said. "Keep going."

"_Sulieman_!" Imam cried again, not wanting to lose another child.

Suddenly, the eldest pilgrim boy reappeared, thrust back into the light by unseen forces. He was still alive, but he shouldn't have been. He made a feeble attempt at grabbing onto Imam, at anyone, but he was gone again before they could even react, jerked out of the circle of life. Out of existence.

Imam cried out, reaching for his lost student with tears brimming in his eyes. The weight of loss seemed too heavy, for the holy man buckled down to the dirt, staring at the spot in the wall of black where Sulieman had been. Ali came up to him then, placing a hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort. It seemed to give him some strength.

Though, Riddick shouting orders seemed to scare him enough to move as well. "Keep going or I will!"

They flailed to life, running through the Gauntlet like bats out of Hell. Finally—_finally_—the canyon widened. It opened up like some door to Heaven. The worst sounds falling behind. Naruto glanced around, seeing it on their sweat sheened faces—The faintest glimmer of hope that _maybe_ they'd just survived the Seventh Circle of Hell. But then, there was a loud crack from above, like the sky was splitting in two.

Then, the torches were sputtering and spitting and Naruto felt the cool droplets on his face. He knew before all the others that this _wasn't_ more blood. He smelled the rain as one torch died and came back to life. Imam upturned a hand, checking the falling liquid for color, but this "blood" had no hue. Naruto stared up blindly at the sky, his face tortured as the rain began to pour.

"Oh, no," He whispered, shaking with anger. Anger at the world. Anger at God. Anger at everyone. "No, no, _no_."

"Rain," Imam muttered with disbelief.

It came down in a steady flow, trilling, running, dripping over the rocks of the canyon. The ground was slick and muddy in minutes. Caught in the down pour, the survivors slogged to a stop. Staring up at the sky, their fear was renewed. Suddenly, one torch went out, and didn't relight.

"So where the hell's God now, huh?" Riddick asked Imam bitterly, and continued when the man didn't respond. "I'll tell you where! He's up _there_ pissing on _me_!"

"Riddick?" Naruto's voice cracked with desperation as he brought the man away from his anger and calmed his own. "How close?"

He could look on his own. He could let the blue fade in with the red and see the answer easily. But he wasn't sure he wanted to. He was too damn scared. Riddick looked at him for a long, hard moment before he pealed off his goggles to stare ahead. His face betrayed nothing, but the silence made the panic grow.

"Tell me the settlement is right there," He demanded, desperation still there on the edges of hopelessness. "Riddick, _please_."

The bald man turned to face him, silver eyes not as shiny as they'd once been. "We can't make it."

Naruto shook his head, anguish painting his face as water fell upon them in sheets, now. It stung with every drop, and it hissed against his skin—like inside he was on fire or something. Riddick took a step closer, wanting to comfort what was his, but not knowing how. As the torch light that protected them slowly started dying, somewhere behind, the awful sounds returned.

"There's gotta be a way," Shazza said, still hopeful.

Naruto cast her a sideways glance and looked around for good cover. The wheels started turning rapidly in his head as he spotted a crevice in the canyon wall. He paused a moment, his hair matted to his face, droplets rolling down his chest and some evaporating on the way down. His heart skipped a beat as everything came together.

"There," He pointed to the crevice. "Hide there."

Riddick watched as Naruto ushered the survivors inside with curiosity. The blonde wouldn't stop surprising him. Blue eyes caught mercury, and Riddick's breath hitched at the emotion there. There was something undeniably confident in the azure orbs that made his gut clench. Confidence was a turn on. Riddick's fingers suddenly itched with the need to be tangled deep in the man's silky, golden hair.

"Inside…" Naruto urged them one by one. "Inside. You'll be safe here."

"But what about you?" Jack said softly, looking up at him solemnly.

"I'll be fine," He stated, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll be back for you. I promise."

"You won't leave me here?"

"No way," Naruto swore, giving her a quick wink as he nudged her inside. "I like you too much."

They crawled into the fissure, the second torch dying behind them. They only had one left, and it was low on fuel. They could only see Naruto from the glow of the light Riddick had behind him. They watched as he shoved a large boulder in front of the crevice, and they all froze.

"What are they still doing out there?" Shazza asked Fry, worry knitting her brows together.

She wasn't sure. Were they protecting them? Or had Johns been right about where Naruto's loyalty lied? Were they entombing them?

* * *

Naruto faced Riddick, momentarily letting his eyes wander over the clingy, wet material that stuck to Riddick's skin. Silver met blue, and Naruto blushed, berating himself as Riddick raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the blonde had a smile lighting up his face. He stepped forward, and Riddick watched as he undid the harness around him. As the blonde started to slip part of the straps around himself, the taller man grabbed his nimbly working hands. Naruto hissed as pain shot right up his arm, and tensed as he was tugged forward.

"What are we doing?" Riddick asked with a low rumble of his voice, letting up on his grip on Naruto's right hand.

He looked up at him through the rain, defiance against the problems ahead shining brightly. "I don't know about you, but I don't plan to die out here."

He was a fighter, Riddick realized. If he was threatened, or even someone he cared about was threatened, he wouldn't ever back down. Riddick wouldn't put it past the blonde to stand on two broken legs and defend what was important to him. He was just going to have to test that theory.

"Let's go then," He said, letting the blonde go so that he could loop the left over straps around himself.

Naruto shot him another award winning flash of white teeth before they started moving. Slipping in the muck, they tried to ignore the incessant clicking that trailed behind them, waiting for them to screw up. Working like Sisyphus, they hauled the cells up a muddy rise until they reached the top. They stopped, staring out at the settlement, and jubilation bloomed in Naruto's chest. Looking at each other, water cascaded down around them in cool waves. They soon disappeared over the rise, the four cells following and slithering through the mud like a serpent's tail.

* * *

"He's not coming back, is he?" Ali asked softly, staring at the boulder as the light dimmed.

Imam frowned, grabbing his student and holding him close. "I do not know, my son. But we must have faith."

Suddenly, their only remaining torch died. The sounds of the beasts amplified, making them quake and huddle closer together. Fry looked at Shazza, seeing the fear there as the woman clutched her hand. There was a long, bleak beat before Fry realized she _could see_ Shazza's face.

"There's light in here," She said breathlessly. "There's light."

It was a soft glow from above. Blue light kept them from the dark and kept them alive for just a little longer. Imam climbed a bit higher, discovering small blue-white lights clinging to the rocks. He plucked a few before dropping back down to the group. They all peered into the palm of his hand, and watched as they writhed with life.

"Larva…" Ali said, boy-like curiosity painted on his face as he picked one up.

"Glow worms," Jack corrected with a smile.

Fry and Shazza smiled too. Relief washed though them, and hope flourished once again. Maybe they would make it…

"Oh!" Jack exclaimed quietly, her smile growing. "Don't worry about Riddick and Naruto. He promised he'd be back for us."

Shazza tilted her head for a moment. "Who promised, luv?"

Jack grinned impishly as she snatched her own little worm. "Naruto did."

* * *

Riddick and Naruto boarded the dark craft, searching for the connection in the pitch black. Hands ghosted across metal, connecting the power cells to the battery bay. The ship flickered to life, bringing the safety of light with it. Naruto grinned like a maniac before practically floating over to the controls to make sure everything was running smoothly.

He watched him a moment as hands moved breezily, the right a little less so, over the switches and buttons. Drenched in light, the blonde pretty much glowed with happiness. They were going to survive. Riddick stood in the hatchway of the skiff, turning to look out into the dark rain. A frown appeared on his face like he was struggling with a hard decision.

Then, very deliberately, he smashed his hand light on the hull. Stepping back inside, he closed the hatch behind him before studying the blonde. Naruto glanced back at him, eyes ghosting over his shoulder to the closing door. A frown of his own darkened his face, and he stood slowly as the engine started to warm up. Riddick seemed calm and so did Naruto even as he took slow, cautious steps forward.

"What's going on?" His voice was light, but there was a strain hidden in his eyes.

Riddick shrugged, giving him a pointed look. "We ain't dying here, are we?"

Naruto nodded as he tried to figure the bigger man out. Had he been playing him the whole time? Was it all some sort of twisted game for him? The questions sent his gut clenching, and he could feel bile rising at the back of his throat. If he was playing them, and Naruto had let Riddick _touch him_… Even if he was undeniably hot, it made him sick.

"Riddick," Naruto spoke monotonely, much like Sasuke had when they were younger. "Open the hatch back up."

Riddick glanced over his shoulder at the sealed door, and shook his head as he looked back to the blonde. "No. I don't think I will."

Naruto stiffened and his eyes narrowed dangerously. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that the other man was trying to bait him. If he was, it was definitely going to work. With lightening fast moves, he darted for the opening on Riddick' s right, and he dove for the button that sealed the hatch. Arms caught him around the torso and used enough force to fling him back but not to hurt him.

Naruto stumbled a step before lunging again. This time Riddick grabbed him by the hurt arm. Twisting it around, he listened as the smaller man grunted in pain. He took a sample sniff of his gold locks—finding the smell irresistible—before he wrapped his other arm around a tan chest to hold him firmly to his chest. Naruto hissed as pain went sizzling up his arm and tried to torque it free—only to have another jolt of pain jump through his veins.

Riddick chuckled as the blonde stomped back on his foot and clawed at his arm, the minor irritations not bothering him. He wrenched the arm a little higher and listened for a soft pop. Naruto cried out a moment as his shoulder dislocated, before he growled low and slammed his head back; smashing it into Riddick's nose. The bald man barely had time to groan when Naruto's left elbow came up and clipped him on the jaw.

The double blow had him releasing his hold on Naruto's lithe form, and suddenly he was flat on his back doing the horizontal mambo. Naruto scampered over to the shiny, red button and slammed his fist down on it so that the hatch screeched open. Riddick was on his feet by then, swiping for a grip on Naruto even as the blonde did a cute little tumble down the ramp and into the rain.

There they were, on opposite ends of the gangway—Naruto in the rain; Riddick in the light. Eyes did a quick scan to make sure no monsters were going to come by and sweep away his blonde. His jaw ached as they had their little stare off, and he grinned ruefully. Gritting his teeth, Naruto pulled harshly down on his wrist, and moaned as it popped back into place.

"_Fuck_," He said, trying to ignore the added pain, and feeling slightly relieved as the chakra soothed his wounds.

Riddick just watched with hungry eyes and rubbed his jaw line to ease his own ailment. "Strong survival instinct. I admire that in a man."

* * *

They huddled around the bottles of glow worms, the blue shine lighting up their faces. It was all that they could harvest from the small supply that they had. Even with the small amount, it practically lit the entire crevice up. They jumped as a whole as scraping sounds came from behind the boulder. The beasts were trying to get in. Suddenly, predator blades started poking through, exploring the edges around the opening. Fry thrust the light out at them, driving the animals away.

For the moment…

* * *

**TBC**

**Sorry ladies and gents… I think mostly ladies… I hope you all enjoyed the mild shortness and cliffy-ness of it. I love to leave 'em hanging when the end gets close. (Insert evil smirk here). Please review!**

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	18. Chapter 18

"_Fuck," He said, trying to ignore the added pain, and feeling slightly relieved as the chakra soothed his wounds. _

_Riddick just watched with hungry eyes and rubbed his jaw line to ease his own ailment. "Strong survival instinct. I admire that in a man." _

_

* * *

_

_The beasts were trying to get in. Suddenly, predator blades started poking through, exploring the edges around the opening. Fry thrust the light out at them, driving the animals away. _

_For the moment…_

* * *

Naruto stood up a bit straighter, face resolved as he glared up. Riddick wanted to laugh. It was such a unique sight, someone standing up to him. Most of the time, people would just sort of let it happen, but Naruto was definitely different. Riddick took a step forward, one hand out.

"Come on," He said, urging the blonde to just give in. "Get back on the ship, Naruto. Get back on so that we can leave."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "We're not leaving. Not until we go back and get the others."

Riddick _did_ laugh at that. How noble… The man dripping before him had no reason in the world to go back, and yet he obviously expected that they would. Naruto clenched his hands as the dark chuckle sent a slow rage boiling in his stomach. This was all just so _wrong_…

"I promised that we would go back for them." Naruto stated, hoping that if he explained maybe Riddick would get it and go along with it. "And that's exactly what we're going to do."

Riddick chortled again, crossing his arms; he didn't like being ordered around. "Think you've mistaken me for someone who gives a fuck."

"What, you're afraid?"

"Confusin' me with Johns now—not a good idea," Riddick warned, anger darkening his features. "Fear was _his_ monkey. I only deal in life and death. All that stuff in between? Some shade of grey my eyes don't see."

Naruto sneered, shaking his head, his rage right at the surface as each drop of water that hit him evaporated. "_I trusted you_, Riddick. _Goddamn_, I trusted that _some_ part of you was human."

"Like you would know," Riddick bit.

"I _would_ know," Naruto hissed back. "Would you?"

"Not sure," Riddick tried to shrug nonchalantly, but he was too tense with malice to completely pass it off.

Naruto sighed, realizing how impossible it was. It was always impossible. You couldn't shame a shameless man. With desperation edging his voice, he said, "Then wait for me. I'll go back myself. Just give me some more light for them."

Riddick nodded, tossing him a light. The one he'd just broken. "I'll leave you."

"No, you won't." Naruto shook his head, staring at the light with disdain, but there was confidence in his voice. "You won't leave me here."

"What makes you think that?"

Naruto cringed a moment before snapping his gaze up, blue eyes soul piercing. "Just… come with me."

"Got a better idea," Riddick said, his own silent desperation surpassing the anger. He needed Naruto on the skiff. He needed him safe. "Come with me."

Naruto's mouth worked, but he didn't say anything.

"Naruto," Riddick practically purred the name, taking another step forward. "We both want each other—that much is obvious. Just make it easier, and get on the ship."

"No," Naruto scoffed. "No, you see, I _promised_ them. I don't break my word. _Ever_."

It was a true statement. In all the time that he'd been alive, every promise he'd ever made was kept true. At least, all the ones he _could_ control. Life and death were things he often couldn't really affect, no matter how much he really wanted to. He'd promised Itachi that he'd live his life, no matter how long, to the fullest. He was. He'd promised Kakashi he would never let him down again. He hadn't. He's swore to Sasuke that he would defeat him. He had. Naruto wasn't going to start breaking his word _now_. Not when he'd gone so long keeping it. Not with his powers and abilities back in the palm of his hands.

"They're already dead," Riddick pushed. "Get on board."

"I would know if they were," Naruto said through gritted teeth. "I would smell it. I don't smell death in the air—fear, maybe. _Your fear_."

"That's _Johns_!" Riddick roared, slamming his fist against the metal of the hatchway as his anger started to boil over again. "I'm not afraid. That's Johns… And that's you."

Naruto barked out a short, bitter laugh. "Are you kidding? I'm not just afraid! I'm scared shitless of those things! Whatever they are, it's _not normal_. I can feel it. I can smell it. Hell, I can even _taste_ it. I have since we crashed on this stupid rock! Those _things_," Naruto pointed to the black, "are creatures built solely to kill."

"I was built to kill," Riddick said, voice slightly softer.

"Not like that," Naruto shook his head, an agefullness shining in his eyes, and throwing Riddick off kilter a bit. "They aren't _just _animals, Riddick. I'm a hanyou for Kami's sake! If they were _just_ animals, do you think I'd be so afraid? Those _things_ are like me—demon."

"If you're so scared, why don't you _get on the ship_," Riddick growled; he wanted him and his blonde off that rock ten seconds ago.

"They're demons, Riddick," He said, voice shaking as he thought of the people waiting for him. "I hadn't seen any in so long, I'd started thinking maybe I was the only one left. But coming here has shown me otherwise. My kind are still out there, and they've evolved into something ghastly."

"Then _get on the ship_."

"I can't," He frowned, his brows knitting together in frustration.

"Sure you can," Riddick grinned like the Big Bad Wolf as he approached the blonde, re-extending his hand. "Here. Make it easy on you."

"I won't."

"You will," Riddick scowled. "Just give me your hand."

"Don't do this to me, Riddick," Naruto pleaded; he didn't want to choose. "They're still alive."

"No one's gonna blame you for leaving. I won't," Riddick took another few steps forward as Naruto recoiled. "C'mon. Take my hand. Save yourself."

Naruto stared at the hand, his face twisted; he was torn. He didn't know what to do… His eyes suddenly narrowed, and he reached out to take the hand that promised _so much_. He _did_ know what to do, and he would do it damn well.

With a sharp jerk, he brought Riddick tumbling down the gangway. The larger man toppled into him, sending them sprawling through the mud. A fresh surge of chakra hit him as the barely visible seal pulsed, and he torqued Riddick's arm back with a knee at his neck, burying the man's face into the earth. He sputtered, tensing before flipping positions.

He straddled Naruto's hips, the kunai at his tan throat, drawing the slightest amount of blood. With a snarl, the blonde deflected the knife with his open palm before bringing his hand back down to chop Riddick on the side of the neck. He rolled off, bringing himself to his feet just quick enough to see Naruto rock back on his hands and jump up into a fighting pose.

Riddick twirled the blade between his fingers as he brought it up to his mouth. He licked away the blood there and made a quiet sound of content at the coppery taste. Naruto rolled his eyes as Riddick smirked at him. Suddenly, Riddick was lunging and Naruto was punching; somehow they both got hit. With a quick spin kick, Naruto caught him across the jaw, only to have a fist shoved into his diaphragm.

Arms wrapped around him tightly, pinning everything down. Panicking, he went dead in Riddick's grip. He was released just as suddenly as he'd been captured, and he swung low, leg extended to kick Riddick's out from under him. The larger man created quite a splash as he fell, and with trained reflexes, Naruto snatched his kunai back. Only to press it snuggly against Riddick's jugular. A powerful look fell into blue eyes as he stared down at the strongest man he'd seen in centuries.

"I will _not_ give up on them," He stated, the water from above cascading over his shoulders and rolling off his skin now that he'd cooled down. Riddick looked up in awe as they both seemed to pant in time, wanting nothing but to run his hands over that hot skin, and trace the strange markings on the man's stomach with his tongue. He was snapped out of his fantasy as the blade bit at his flesh. "I will not leave _anyone_ on this fuckin' rock with those things. I'd _really_ prefer _not_ disabling you, but if I have to—"

"You'd die for them?" He asked suddenly.

Surprised, Naruto blinked before nodding. "I'd try for them."

"You barely know them," Riddick said, on the edge of disbelief.

"I barely know you," Naruto shrugged. "Doesn't mean I won't _try_. I'm human—at least part of me is. I know you might see that as weakness, but it's true. I feel fear. I feel hate. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, even love…"

Riddick had to tense completely to keep from reaching up and claiming Naruto as fully_ his_ right then, his breath hitching in his throat.

"I feel compassion," Naruto continued. "I've always felt it. Even before I became what I am. So, in answer to your question… Yes. I _would_ die for them… Would you? Are you human enough? Would you die for them, Riddick? For me?"

"I doubt it," He chuckled, reaching up to tug on a wet lock of hair. "Maybe for you."

"Well," Naruto flipped the kunai around as he stood, before tucking it away into his soaked cargo pants, flashing Riddick a smile, but blinding smile. "I guess we'll just have to see about _that_, won't we?"

* * *

**Tbc**

**Hope you all enjoyed it. We're almost done! Ahh! Craziness… Alright, review please and thank you. I apologize for the shortness. Next chappy runs 'til the end of the film, and the one after will be Epilogue/Alternate Ending for those of you who don't want to go on (or who want this 'safe' ending jic my other continuings of the movies suck). **

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	19. Chapter 19

"_Yes. I would die for them… Would you? Are you human enough? Would you die for them, Riddick? For me?" _

"_I doubt it," He chuckled, reaching up to tug on a wet lock of hair. "Maybe for you." _

"_I guess we'll just have to see about that, won't we?" _

* * *

There was a scrabbling at the rock. The group stared at it with wide, horror filled eyes, but Imam moved forward, his ceremonial blade cocked back and raised high. He would defend them until the very end. Jack and Ali clung together, while Fry burried her face into the crook of Shazza's neck. They were going to die. More scrabbling at the rock, and they winced as it started to move. Dear God, it was actually happening. They were actually going to—They went rigid as the boulder moved, ready to battle. Only to freeze as a mop of blonde hair poked inside.

Heaving the rock aside, Naruto gave them all a quick, little grin as Riddick appeared behind him. Fry looked them over, seeing the bruises and cuts here and there on the both of them. Naruto stepped in, shaking off the water a bit like a dog would before flashing them a blinding smile through the barely lit dark. Jack sprang forward, running head-long into a hug, and causing Naruto to grunt a little on impact.

"Hi there," He said, patting her back.

She pulled away from him beaming. "I _knew_ you'd come back."

"Well," He ruffled her hair playfully. "I did promise, didn't I?"

"We did not think you would make it," Imam muttered still clutching his knife with a shaky hand.

Naruto was about to reply, when Riddick cut him off, "Yeah, yeah—we're all fuckin' amazed. Anyone not ready for this?"

The survivors all looked around sheepishly for a moment. None of them were ready, but all of them were going. Just like he'd gotten them in, Naruto ushered them out one by one. Back out into the pouring rain, they were only protected by the meager light of the glow worms. After making sure Jack and Ali were center, they set out.

"Tighter," Riddick muttered. "Get tighter."

They squeezed in closer, reaching the muddy rise in no time. Suddenly, he halted, causing an odd pile up of bodies. Naruto was smashed against Riddick's back, and his stomach pulsed once more at the contact. Riddick seemed to purr for a moment, not minding the closeness one bit, but quickly got his game face back on. Jack waited for the sounds of clicking, only to hear rainfall.

"I don't hear—" She was muffled by Naruto's hand.

He gac her a look, and she fell silent as he glanced back forward. Before the muddy rise, water had pooled at the base. It created a kind of watering hole, and a predator was drinking there. Naruto jumped slightly as Riddick's arm circled around his waist, his whole body aware of the other man's movements.

"Doesn't see us…" He said under his breath, clutching Naruto close while grabbing the kunai at his waistband once more, ready to pluck it away. "Wait for it to leave…"

Another predator landed to drink. Then another. Their backs were to them, but the pool was starting to turn into a major gathering place. Soon, all of them could hear the clicking over the rain. Their nightmare was far from being over. They could feel. They could taste it. The danger was there. The fear wasn't floating far behind. Were they going to make it?

"Wait, huh?" Naruto elbowed Riddick sharply in the gut.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he slid the kunai from it's spot, not missing the flash of awareness in Naruto's eyes. "Get behind me."

Naruto nodded, slipping back behind him as soon as the retracting limb let him. Everyone else quickly followed suit, in order: Jack, Ali, Fry, Shazza, and Imam. Riddick looked out across the expanse, watching as the previously proclaimed demons shifted around the shallow pool. After a long, drawn out beat, a slim gap appeared.

"When I go, we go." Riddick stated, glancing back at _his_ Naruto before he laced their fingers together. "Full throttle."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Naruto smirked, the double meaning making his heart do a little jig in his chest as he let the red take over his eyes.

He was shaken by the sudden clarity. Everything was keener, sharper, than ever before. He could even look _past_ the torrential rain. He could see the animals' breaths in the cool air. He was in awe for a moment, taking everything in. Whatever was happening to him had gone from bad to good pretty damn fast. Another pulse hit his gut as silver looked back and met crimson.

Jack's hand locked with his, and it went down the line like that. Everyone clutching each other's hands. The shocking thing was, Naruto could _feel_ it. He gasped softly seeing how Riddick's eyes widened too. He'd felt it. Then, there was a killer grin unfurling on Riddick's lips, like he knew something that Naruto didn't. Looking forward once more, he gave Naruto's hurt hand a delicate squeeze.

"Ready…" Riddick tensed, watching the gap in the beasts. "Ready…"

They watched in silence as the gap widened. A gauntlet within the Gauntlet. Riddick took off in a fast sprint. Linked like paper dolls, the others followed blindly. Naruto watched, and the world seemed to slow, as a predator turned to 'stare' over its shoulder. It clicked madly, back arching with spike-like heckles as it caught sight of him. Oh, how they wanted him dead…

They hit the water like lawn mowers on legs. Even with the speed they were going, the water's chill seeped in. They crashed through, scattering water and predators alike. In moments, they had reached the muddy rise. They stared scaling the mound, feet being sucked under the surface as they ran.

Suddenly, hands slick with the rain, Jack lost her grip. She back-slid, crying out as she fell further. Imam, standing at the end, went diving after her first, and he caught her hand before trying to pull her up. Instead, he tumbled with her. Chakra firing off, Naruto lunged after them, claws at the ready even as pain surged through his right arm. Jack sputtered as she hit the water, sitting waist deep in the pool of dirty, murky liquid. Something nipped at her under the surface of the water, and she screamed as an adolescent beast emerged, water sliding off it's skin.

It was gone as soon as it was there, being blown away by some massive force. Jack looked up, seeing Naruto half-standing on the water, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the monster he'd just killed. She yelped as she was plucked out of the water by Imam, and shoved forward to the rise once again. Shazza took her hand and pulled her back up as Imam and Naruto followed.

Only, Naruto was faster.

Imam's robes kept catching on the surface of the water, dragging him back. Suddenly, that wasn't the only thing that was slowing him down. Naruto whipped back around as the scent of blood hit him. His eyes widened in horror as Imam was swept away into the black. Hands caught him, pulling the blonde away from the scene, and muscling him back up the hill. Riddick heaved him over the top with a grunt, sending him sliding down the other side to meet with the survivors.

"Riddick!" He cried out as he was tugged to his feet by Fry and Shazza.

"You know the way!" He roared in response, just appearing at the peak as they took off.

The three adults ushered Ali and Jack forward, running madly through the rain. Riddick followed, not far behind, as he chanced a glance back at the regrouping predators. They were stalking their prey, ready for the pounce. Running hard, their glow worm lights bounced wildly through the night like a raver's glow sticks at a party. Riddick was chasing _them_. The predators were chasing _him_.

* * *

Spilling around a corner, they spotted the light of the skiff. They ran for it sprinting the rest of the way to safety. Breathing like a race horse, Riddick watched them disappear around a corner. He followed their steps, storming around that same damn corner, only to run right into one of the predators. He skidded to a stop and snapped a look up, searching for an escape, only to see another beast perched gargoyle-like on the building. It speed clicked at him as he slowly pulled out Naruto's knife and his own shiv. He braced himself, ready to blade it out.

Jack and Ali staggered onto the gangway, stalked closely by Fry and Shazza. The women beamed at one another—they'd survived. They were all safe in the light of the head beams. Naruto hung back, twisting around to stare at where Riddick should be coming from. He was wet, panting, bruised, and beaten, but he waited… He would wait…

"Naruto?" Fry called over to him, trying to get his attention.

She wanted him to get on board. Naruto could feel it, but he shook his head. He was waiting. His chest heaved as he scanned the black and swept the rain. Where was Riddick? His chest ached as panic knotted in his stomach, and he burned at the thought of losing him just when he'd found him—That was when he heard a strangled scream.

There was a fight going on. A close one. Naruto plunged without thinking, running straight through the black; searching for _his_ Riddick. Swinging around a bend, a blade flashed in front of his face. _His_ blade. But he ducked fast, spotting Riddick. Bloody and muddy, he was down on his knees, trying to fight off the shadow beasts that swirled around them.

"It's me!" Naruto cried, and Riddick's movements halted almost immediately.

Getting down, Naruto could clearly see Riddick's face as the man looked up at him. He could very clearly see the very human expression there, as well. Fear. Grabbing him around his torso, he hefted the larger man to his feet.

"C'mon, Riddick," He muttered, hoping do get some reaction out of him. "I never said I'd die for _you_. Not for you."

Riddick grimaced, getting his feet under him. Gripping each other, they started moving. They turned like dancers in a macabre waltz, struggling along. Naruto could only pray that the beasts didn't fix on Riddick's blood.

"Just ten steps…" Naruto murmured into Riddick's ear as he slumped. "C'mon. Just ten steps, Riddick. We're almost there. C'mon—"

Something jolted them, and all clicking ceased. They searched each other's eyes for a moment, not quite sure which one of them had been slashed. Because one of them had been, and it was bad. The sight of crimson mixing in with the rain water only affirmed their assumption.

Naruto took a shaky breath, and immediately regretted it. A white hot pain scorched through him, and he fell against Riddick's chest as his legs turned to jelly. He looked down, his breath coming in short pants as he spotted the hole in his own chest. The pain was familiar there, and it only took his short-circuited brain a moment to realize that he'd been hit right where Sasuke had got him that day at the Valley of the End.

Riddick's arms locked around him, holding him up as the pain visibly rippled across his tan skin. He bit back a howl as the larger man pulled him closer. The seal at his stomach seared, glowing red like his eyes as the blood ran free. There was a quick pause as Naruto's head lulled back, and his eyes rolled into their sockets when Riddick didn't know what to do.

"Not for me," He whispered hoarsely, clutching him close and pressing a kiss to his head. "Not for me…"

When hands clenched around his biceps, he unfroze. A fresh surge of power from_ somewhere_ had him swooping down to pick Naruto up bridal style. The blonde let out a soft moan as he was jostled, already slipping into unconsciousness with the fatal blow he'd received. It was like Riddick wasn't wounded anymore, and he moved with shocking speed to the skiff.

When he got there, he passed Naruto off to Shazza and Fry, shutting the hatch behind him. He trusted them to take care of his boy as he shoved past them. He slid into the pilot's seat, heating up the engine as the others hovered around Naruto's shaking, seizing form. Glancing back, he saw the pain etched across a scarred face like stone, and a burning rage broke free inside. With a growl, he killed everything except the internal lights, and stared out the glass panel into the raining black.

"Riddick?" Jack's watery voice echoed over at him. "What are you doing?"

"Wait," He muttered, body tensing.

Jack glanced between him and the windshield before speaking again. "Riddick?"

Suddenly, everything was firing up again. Every external light turned on as the engine blasted full furn. Jack watched in awe as dozens of creatures were burned up by the large blast. They could barely hear their screech over the noise of the skiff as they burned the cinders and ashes.

Taking off, the ship looked a bit like a ball of fire racing for atmo. As they got closer and closer the fabric wings began to burn off once they hit escape velocity. Bursting through the darkness, Riddick leaned back in the pilot's chair, his body tense. Jack was beside him, staring hypnotically at the stars ahead. He looked down at his bloody hands a moment before he toggled with the nav-charts, plotting a rendezvous with "Sol-Track 17B" shipping lane. With a low sigh, he twisted in his seat to face the small girl.

"Pretty sure you can talk to me now," He said dryly, watching as she snapped herself out of a daze.

"Not sure where to go," She said suddenly, looking over at Ali, who sat alone with his knees to his chest. "I was just runnin' away when this whole thing started." She muttered. Facing him again before tilting her head. "Where you goin'?"

"Not sure," Riddick said, grinning slightly. "I was just runnin' away when this whole thing—"

He cut himself off as a moan came from the blonde lying on the floor. His jaw clenched as he spotted the fever pink cheeks, and the abnormal pallor of Naruto's skin. He was close to death. Riddick could smell it on him. His chest ached at the thought of losing him. In the couple of days he'd spent saving lives with Naruto, he'd come to grow fond of him. More than fond. Which was a bit unexplainable considering Riddick hadn't felt this over whelming need to protect someone in—well, _ever_.

Shazza glanced up at him, pealing one layer of damp shirt over her head to place beneath Naruto's. Riddick watched as Fry pulled out a big, red med-kit. She snapped the lid open, pulling out a gun-looking thing and holding it at the deep wound at Naruto's chest. She pumped it a second before pulling the trigger and watching the foam spread and steam. Instant stitches.

After she was done, she reaching into the box and grabbed some gauze, unraveling it with a jerky movement. The two women seemed to be communicating silently because Shazza knew just when to prop Naruto up as Fry went around his torso with the thin, white strips. Riddick gulped as Naruto's face curled up in pain, and the make shift bandages were tugged securely in place. The paler of the two lowered him back down gingerly then, before wiping the sweat from his brow with the edge of her shirt.

"He's got a mighty spot of heat," She spoke, bright eyes flashing his way. "Where ever we're going, it's gonna hafta have a bloody good medical."

Ali looked up at that, tears in his brown eyes, "Imam said that the best was on New Mecca."

Riddick looked doubtful. A whimper had him clenching his fists as Fry applied pressure to the wound at Naruto's chest. His skin seemed to jump as Jack placed a clammy palm on his arm. He cast her a glance, seeing the same concern he felt etched across her young face. Fry cleared her throat, standing from her position to walk over to Riddick.

"The boy is right," She said, fingers trembling. "New Mecca's got the best med facility in the 'verse."

"Then that's where we go," Riddick muttered, going to face the controls when Fry put a stop to it.

"I'll take it from here," She said, staring longingly at the controls. They were her comfort zone. "You tend to Naruto."

Riddick was about to protest when the look in the woman's eyes stopped him short. He didn't usually take orders, but he wanted to check on his half-demon anyways. Sliding to his feet, he brushed past her and over to the writhing blonde. Naruto panted, eyes screwed shut as he fought death off. His head was resting in Shazza's lap and on the soft, damp shirt she'd balled up.

Riddick plopped down next to the pair rather unceremoniously, causing the pale woman to jump. He hesitated a moment before reaching out to take Naruto's hand in his. Shazza glanced between the two, and up at Fry, who was busy directing the skiff through the plethora of stars. A very bright star came into view, and Ali joined Jack at the windshield. Shazza brushed Naruto's blonde locks softly, stroking his head, hoping it would help qualm the tides of pain that seemed to roll over him.

Naruto's hand clenched in Riddick's.

"Think a soul can get lost there?" Riddick asked suddenly, goggled eyes looking Shazza's way. "With all them pilgrim-types?"

Shazza blinked in surprise before letting a soft smile drift onto her face. "I think it's more a place where souls are found, Mr. Riddick."

He nodded. The possibilities ran through his mind, and a hardly visibly grin danced across his face. He watched as Naruto shifted, feeling a little shock run up his arm. The blonde moaned, and the strange markings glowed red faintly before fading to that almost invisible state. A strange, warming sensation ran along his skin, and suddenly his hurt leg felt a lot hotter. The feeling was gone as soon as it had started though, and Riddick shifted, testing it. He was shocked to find that it felt completely fine.

He grinned full-on this time. The possibilities just got better and better… They seemed almost endless with the blonde on his arm. He could only imagine where things would take them next.

* * *

Back on the planet, the first flares of light caressed her rough skin. The sun slowly slid out from behind the eclipsing planet, shining down harshly like hell fire onto the dirt and bones. The light felt cleansing. Renewing. Life giving. Everything was starting over. Another cycle ending to begin anew. Yes… Yes, it was definitely life giving.

**THE END!**

**That's right. It's over. But wait, what's this? An epilogue coming in a week—YES! You guys should so review. I would love you forever. Oh, and it'll take me a while to get the other stuff up—so for now, deal with Pitch Black's ending and please wait patiently for the other COR. I'll update with a chapter here and tell alls yalls when I do. So not to worry. You'll know. **

**Thanks to everyone who review/subscribe/read. I love the love.**

**Much love,**

**Tara**


	20. Epilogue

He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this. He felt so safe. So warm. His heart fluttered a moment as he absorbed the sweet sensation. A sigh slid past his lips, and he silently wondered how he got there—wrapped up all safe and warm. He went to shirt, and memories came flooding back with pain.

He ached everywhere, but the flaming pain in his chest is what got him the most. It was almost unbearable, that pain. It burned and itched and screamed at him; asking, "How could you be so _stupid_?". All he could do was groan in response. His face scrunched up in an unparalleled agony, and his fists clenched around the soft material of whatever was covering him.

Suddenly, a wet cloth was pressed to his forehead, and a trail of icy water rolled down his temple. Another sigh left him, and he relaxed back into the sweet, cloud-like bed he was currently sleeping on. His mind wandered and flared as he recalled just _what_ had sent him fever pitch into a bed like this. He had been helping Riddick get to the ship, and then there had been that pain. Lots of familiar, no fun _at all_, pain. After that moment though, he had no memory except for the delirium of dreams (fantasies, really) that he planned on never remembering. Way too embarrassing.

His breath hitched in his throat a moment. What if Riddick hadn't made it? What if none of them had? His fears were calmed as fingers traced whisker-like scars on his cheeks. A pulse pounded around his belly button, his heart fluttered, and he knew that everything was all right.

Someone shifted on the bed next to him, taking a seat adjacent to his body, and making the bed dip with their weight. Those fingers traced each whisker before running up to slip through his hair. He leaned into the touch, practically purring in delight. The pain in his chest seemed to subside as this person touched him, and he could swear he felt the almost completely healed wound mending itself. His heart jumped into his throat when another eerily hot hand fell on his stomach, and he gasped as it bunched up the sheet draped over him and yanked it down.

A burst of cold had him shivering, but that hand was back at his stomach. His back arched a moment as a small shock ran up his spine. He wanted to open his eyes and see who was doing this to him, but his body wouldn't listen. Soon, both hands were making hot trails on his golden skin, leaving him shaking a bit. One hand traced the swirl on his abdomen, while the other ran over every scar it could find. Finally, both hands ended up on the gauze that covered his death wound. He sucked in a hissing breath, gritting his teeth, and cringed as a spark went dancing through his chest.

What _was_ this?

"Wake up," A gravely, tired voice commanded. "Wake up, Naruto. You can't sleep forever."

Oh, and he didn't want to sleep forever. Not with _him_ so close. Not with _him_ touching him like that. His entire body went rigid, and any remaining pain he'd felt fled because suddenly, lips were pressed gently to his. Hands moved up and threaded through his hair once more. His entire being quaked, and he commanded—_demanded_ his limbs into movement. Arms came up, wrapping around his neck to pull him closer, and it was like his breath was being sucked right of him. Lips worked against his, demanding and in control, but oddly desperate. Soon, they were pulling from his, leaving a hot brand against his skin, and making him moan in delight.

"Riddick," He breathed, his voice breaking from lack of use.

"Open your eyes," He replied, kissing his cheeks. His nose. His forehead. His eyelids. "Just open your goddamn eyes."

Blue orbs fluttered open, searching blindly in the dark for his Riddick. His heart thrummed in his chest, and burning, mercury eyes intercepted his gaze. A flash of white teeth caught his attention, and suddenly their lips were grappling again. His eyes were falling shut; as he was pulled back into the passion he felt his entire being hum. It was like something was just under his skin, and it was warm and amazing and perfect.

Fingers untangled from blonde locks, trailing once more down gold skin, and caressing with every inch they moved. They ran over taunt muscle, and Naruto ate the growl Riddick gave off as he arched up into him. As their tongues had a bit of a sloppy battle, Riddick continued his ministrations. Soon, those hands were at the seal on his stomach, and something strange happened. Blue eyes burst open in surprise as an intense wave of heat and pleasure quaked through him. Consuming him. He gasped, breaking the kiss, as he tried to fight off the truly overwhelming sensation, and his entire body tensed as he arched off the bed. Riddick watch, pure fascination etched on his face.

Naruto settled in a moment, blinking deliriously as he tried to calm his body down. Kami, he'd only _just_ woken, and already he felt more alive than ever before. Suddenly, another flash hit him as Riddick deliberately brushed his fingers across the seal. He arched up again, jaw clenching as desire rippled along his skin and flowed through his veins like a heady drug. His muscles contracted and his eyes screwed shut as the other man traced a line. Finally, Riddick simply settled his palm there, flat on the seal as Naruto shivered underneath him. Blue eyes eventually opened once more, seeing Riddick hovering just above him with a smirk on his face.

He wanted to rip the smile right off Riddick's lips. He decided that it was way too smug, and it shouldn't be there mocking him so. Eyebrows furrowed, he tried to push past the pleasure that was making his insides shake, and the strength of the man on top of him. His eyes changed, flashing red, as his canines grew and his nails elongated and sharpened. Riddick's grin didn't falter. With a low, feral growl, Naruto's right hand shot up and slammed into the bigger man's shoulder. Letting out a grunt, he fell to the left, bouncing on the mattress before an angry half-demon pinned him down.

Straddling Riddick's torso, he gave off a warning sneer. The other man laughed, his hands finding seal again. Red eyes widened, clouding over with lust as Riddick traced the patterns lazily. He couldn't help the look of pure, unbridled satisfaction as the blonde's eyes rolled back and Naruto's hips rocked forward wantonly. Any strength the boy had had, melted away, and the fiery rage was doused nicely with a good splash of desire and pleasure.

Taking advantage of the situation, Riddick tucked forward, his goal unclear to the shaking blonde. He couldn't help but fall back as the larger man pushed softly. He landed with a sharp exhale of air, and then it was like the universe was crumbling around him. It was like he couldn't breath; his eyes were screwed shut, his lips parted in a silent groan, and every muscle taunt. He gasped, trying to fill his lungs, as he tugged at the sheets and his toes curled in delight. Kami-sama, every single one of his nerves was alive, and shooting out hot streams of pure ecstasy.

Why?

Because Riddick was kissing the seal.

Riddick had his _lips_ dead center of the ancient design. The touch was undeniably intimate. It also sent seductively addicting shills along both their skin. Wanting a taste, Riddick let his tongue dart out to sample sun-kissed glory. Naruto let out a strangled moan, his back arching as he brought a hand up to stifle the sounds. With a fierce growl, Riddick caught his wrists, leveling up with the blonde.

"Don't you dare," He glowered threateningly, pinning his hands to the bed as he dropped his face back down to Naruto's stomach. "I want to hear_ every_ sound you have to make."

He let out a pitiful whimper, but it was swallowed up by a guttural groan as Riddick licked the edge of the seal. It pulsed harshly, taking the blonde's breath once again as a wet trail was made along the spiral's line. He stared dazedly up at the ceiling, the deep crimson fading to a lust glazed blue. His lips were parted as he panted, feeling his heart race faster and faster with Riddick's touch.

Letting out a startled cry, his hips rocked up, letting Riddick feel the hardness of him beneath black trousers. Riddick had bit one of the many symbols that surrounded the black swirl teasingly, and the reaction he'd gotten only threatened his self-control. Releasing his grip on the smaller man's wrists, he guided his hands down sweat-slicked skin to hold onto rolling hips. He lead wet kissed away from the obviously sensitive seal; lower, to more sensitive places.

Sharps claws bit into his shoulders, and he grunted at the pain. Staring up, silver eyes caught pleading, dazed ones, and he smirked. He had him right where he wanted him. On the verge of helplessness. So caught up in sensation to care about anything else. Not that Riddick had reason to distract him. It was just nice to know that he could. Fingers moved nimbly, and he unsnapped Naruto's pants and slid down the zipper agonizingly slow. Riddick pulled down the black cargos, watching Naruto's face and grinned as the boy blushed; the ultra violet letting him see the heat spread there and down his neck.

Finally yanking his gaze away from Naruto's face, he looked to where there was another pool of heat. Naruto was aching, fully hard and erect, and already leaking precum. Riddick licked his lips. When they'd first crashed on that planet, he'd never expected it to turn out so well for him. He want in tied up unwillingly, and got out with one less merc, someone he happened to enjoy the company of, and a same someone he'd let tie him up any day.

Nails dug painfully into his shoulders and he smirked. With a quick jerk of the man's hips, he pulled Naruto's throbbing member closer to him. He'd always considered himself a tease, so he didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about barely licking the head of the boy's manhood. Naruto whimpered, and Riddick knew right then that teasing the blonde wasn't going to last without serious pain. Blood trickled down his back as razor sharp nails cut across his shoulders. He moaned in bittersweet agony, and leaned forward, his lips wrapping around the blonde's impressive cock.

Naruto deflated. Any air he'd previously had, left him the instant Riddick had his mouth on him. His eyes rolled back a moment as the other man sucked him deeper into the moist, warm cavern. His entire body was on fire, and it occurred to him that he hadn't been touched _this way_ in _so_ long. Riddick ran his tongue along the underside of Naruto's prick, and he would've bucked his hips to add to the thrashing of his limbs, but they were held securely to the mattress. He whimpered, not really knowing what to do with himself as he was expertly sucked off. Sounds kept escaping him, mush to his chagrin, and Riddick just kept at it. Sucking here. Licking there. And—Oh, my… Naruto let out a strangled moan as his entire member was deep throated.

More moans came after, all of them just barely squeaking past the soft mewls and bated breath. Because Riddick was humming. _Humming_ around his cock. Sending vibrations straight to the core of him, and making his back arch higher with each second that passed. Surely, this was some sort of torture. There was _no way_ pleasure could feel _this_ intense. He'd felt it too many times before, but he'd never felt _this_. It was almost like pain, and every breath he drew—bated, or not—left him squirming, writhing, and wanting. It was too much, and not enough. He wanted it to stop, but was silently begging for more. Vocally begging for more.

His body was shaking, and the seal pulsed; Riddick felt it against his forehead. Sweat rolled across tan skin as he gripped the sheets—clawed them, really. Riddick watched all of this, keeping his mind on the task at hand: Pleasing his boy. He wanted to hear him scream as he came, and he wanted it soon. Really soon. He'd waited days for his boy to wake, all the while, healing him a little more each day. It took a lot out of him, and at first he thought it only worked one way until he realized that any wound he'd had was gone. Naruto's recovery was the swiftest anybody had ever seen on record—But, of course, none of it _was_ on record. They'd gotten him into the hospital to bandage him up, and then they'd taken him to Imam's—Ali's now—house. Now, even moments after waking, all Riddick wanted was to give him such a searing orgasm that he'd never scare him like that again.

Riddick got what he wanted. And he'd wanted Naruto for a while. Not only had his patients been tested, but his self control as well. Riddick didn't wait around for people to catch on—he went at whatever it was head-long. Screws everyone else and their feelings. But, like Naruto had said, _he_ had feelings, and for fuck knows why, Riddick cared about them. He'd wanted Naruto more and more. With every smile, every breath, and every abnormal, sexy as hell change he had. Normally, he wouldn't have waited. He would've taken the boy in the boneyard, the gauntlet, the skiff (before the near death injury). Yet, here he was, only _now_ giving into his full desire for the blonde.

"_Riddick_," Naruto moaned, eyes shutting once more.

He didn't know how much more he could take. It was just getting harder and harder not to scream. He felt himself dancing on the brink of oblivion with lips wrapped around his shaft, but _dear Kami-sama_ he couldn't take it. His eyes were flying open against as strong hands shifted; one tracing the seal and the other fondling his balls. Just that little nudge, and he was over the edge, silently screaming as he came.

Riddick drank him down, milking every last drop of the tangy essence of Naruto Uzumaki. The blonde moaned helplessly, his entire body quaking as the larger man leveled with his lithe form once more. A scalding kiss was pressed to his mouth, and Naruto arched up to match it. A talented tongue darted out, ready to dance with his, and Naruto could taste himself there. The mix of him and Riddick sent his eyes rolling back again, and lips pressed tightly together as their hips rolled forward as one.

Suddenly, they were both pulling away from one another. Backs pressed to opposite sides of the bed, they stared at the open door in shock. How had they not heard her coming? Quickly draping sheets around himself, Naruto blushed and sputtered. It wasn't often he was put into situations as awkward as this.

Jack stood in the doorway, a tray of food in her hands, and her little brown eyes wide as can be. "Oh, my god."

"I can explain everything, Jack." Naruto said, voice coarse and cracking. "I know it's a little weird, but—"

"Naruto!" She squealed, dropping the tray with ease, and not even wincing as it clattered against the hard, wood floor. "You're awake!"

Soon, his arms were full of squealing little girl, and he faintly realized that her hair was longer. She clung to him, arms tight around his neck. His blush faded as he stroked her back, letting his startled face drop into something soft and almost motherly. The brunette buried her face into his shoulder, and he could feel the smile pressed to his sun-kissed skin. As soon as she was in a secure embrace with him, she was loose and calling over her shoulder.

"I'll got tell the others!"

Riddick chuckled at the look on his boy's face. "You've been out for a while."

"Kami-sama," He hissed before looking up. "How long?"

"A week."

He looked down at himself, seeing the bandage wrapped over his shoulder and under both arms. He licked his lips, searching his body for the telltale ache of pain. When he found none, he frowned and looked up at Riddick. His hands rested over the part of him that should still be healing, but it wasn't. It was healed.

"How?"

"Dunno," He shrugged. "Same thing happened to me. Touched you, and suddenly I wasn't bleedin' no more. Care to explain?"

"How should I know?"

"You _are_ the half-demon here, Naruto."

The blush was back, and he scratched the back of his head. "Right. Will, I mean—I don't _exactly_ know what it is, but—"

"Has this happened to you before?"

"No," Naruto shook his head a moment before pausing, eyes going wide. "_Yes_… Well, kinda. It was _way_ forever ago though, and it was only because Itachi was _supposed_ to be my mate for life."

"Mate?"

"It's a demon thing." Naruto stated, his body going on autopilot as his mind wurred on. He went to continue, pulling his pants back up as his lips parted to speak.

"I know what a 'mate' is, Naruto." Riddick said, giving him a dry look. "I've read plenty. Seen the term before."

Blue eyes met his, and the blonde slid from the bed to button the soft black material. Without warning, the room began to spin, and his legs buckled beneath the sudden weight on them. Riddick launched to his feet as well, catching his boy under the arms as he fell. It was like the wind had been knocked out of him, and he shook in the strong man's arms. It hit him then, like a ton of shuriken all at once.

"When did you get so fast?"

"How come I can heal you with a touch?"

"Or course," He replied blearily, letting himself get pulled up onto his feet to catch his bearings. "You don't know, either."

"But this has happened before, remember?"

Naruto's eyes flashed in warning. "Itachi was different. He was my mate for life. For eternity…"

Riddick fought back the flare of envy that punched through him, "Then why isn't he here? Why hasn't he showed up to kick my ass for even _looking_ at you?"

"He died."

Riddick wouldn't stop staring at him from across the table. After lapsing into a rather awkward silence, they had both put their missing shirts on, and found their way outside. Naruto had scanned the unfamiliar, bright surroundings with a pleasantly surprised azure gaze as they walked through the clean, neat apartment. Artificial sunlight streamed into the glass windows, lighting the bright color schemed home. It brought a sense of comfort before Fry was there and dragging him over to a seat so that they could feed him.

The girls seemed to dote on him, buzzing around like worried mother hens. Ali glared at Naruto, his jealousy obvious as his eyes followed Jack as she flittered and hovered by the blonde man's side. Riddick chuckled softly, no one but Naruto's keen hearing being able to detect it. Blue shot up to black goggles, from the pile of food in front of him. They shared a moment, everything around them fading briefly as their minds seemed to connect all over again. A flash of heat rolled through both of them, and Naruto shivered as the larger man clenched his hands. Finally, the blonde pulled his gaze away, a faint blush staining his cheeks as he stuffed his mouth full of berries.

"How are you feeling, luv?" Shazza asked, taking a seat, and gesturing for Fry to sit next to her.

"Like I got skewered through the chest," Naruto commented dryly. "But that's nothing new for me."

A look of worry passed between the two women, but Jack seemed delighted, ready for tales of great adventure.

Naruto placed a hand over his crimson shirt where the bandage was wrapped tight. His lips twitched up in a bitter grin, his fingers digging into the material softly as everyone fell silent. Waiting.

"I'm fine now, though." He said, his face transforming into a blinding smile. "All healed up and ready for action."

"Not that there's any need," Fry smiled too, relieved for the lighter feeling. They didn't want something so horrible painting the air so soon after the boy had woken. "We're safe here. No need for action."

"Speaking of," He muttered, glancing around the rather grand place, eyes fluttering from objects to clean faces and nice clothing. "Where are we?"

That was when Ali finally decided to speak up. "Imam's… this was the home he left us if he were to ever…"

Naruto scowled, reaching over to pat the boy on the head comfortingly. "It's very nice of you to let us stay. Arigato."

Ali blushed nicely, mumbling in Arabic, and bringing a smile back to Naruto's face.

"He lives," He said confidently, pulling his hands back to himself.

Ali stared at him, eyes wide, and Riddick silently realized one of the reasons he'd been so drawn. Naruto was the most understanding, empathetic person he'd ever met. Moments passed, and the small group, would-be family talked breezily. They exchanged words, smiles and laughter. All except Riddick, who didn't take his eyes off Naruto. They traced his face: his eyes, his lips, his scars. They memorized his body: the way his chest rose and fell, his broad shoulders slumped slightly in supposition, his perfectly tan skin.

Electric blue locked on tight with silver, even through the black-out goggles. The emotion held in those impossibly deep eyes—fear, fatigue, power, lust, _love_—had Riddick standing sharply, fists clenched. They all looked at him worriedly, but he muttered something incoherent before walking away from the table, food uneaten on his plate.

Nartuo watched the man walk away, eyes following him until they couldn't anymore. A strange silence hung in the air before he stood as well, excusing himself politely and complementing Fry and Shazza on the food. As he left, he scooped up Riddick's abandoned plate, and then made his way up the stairs. He could feel the other man through the walls, and he felt the urge to be near him. To consume him and be consumed. After decades of trial and error, Naruto learned to listen to his instincts.

The door creaked softly as it was opened and then closed. The darkness within was a drastic contrast from the rest of the warmly lit home. Shuffling through the black easily, Naruto set the plate down on a nightstand by the bed, and turned to find Riddick mere inches away. His breath would've caught in his throat if he hadn't already known he was there, but finding those dangerous, mercury eyes staring hard at him was less disconcerting and more comforting. He felt as though he could down in those silver orbs.

"You alright?" He asked with nonchalance he wasn't aware he still had as the larger man sniffed him. Scenting him once again.

"Don't like stayin' in one place too long," His voice rumbled, and Naruto could hear the strain. Riddick was an animal much like himself, and the need for one another was most overwhelming. They needed that connection. "Makes me restless."

"Always being on the run does that," He commented mildly, allowing a shiver to shake and rattle him pleasantly to the core as a warm hand rested on the back of his neck. "Makes it hard to settle down even for a second. Makes it hard to eat… Have you eaten anything?"

"Little bits of stuff," Riddick stated, inching closer, their body heat spiking and flaring around one another. "Not much."

"You should eat, then." He said, breathless as a hard chest pressed to his.

"Should I?" An eyebrow quirked, and he leaned in, lips dragging across his jaw. "I know exactly what I want, too."

Naruto nodded, gulping back his racing heart as he took a stumble back away from the man that was distracting him. "No. You should eat _food_."

Shaking his head, Riddick looped his fingers into the hem of Naruto's pants. The blonde blushed, stepping back against Riddick drew near. His knees hit the edge of the mattress, and he almost went tumbling down. Riddick's hand held his neck securely, though. Keeping him in place. Keeping him just still enough for Riddick to surge forward and claim his parted lips. He mewled, his body reacting immediately, and wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck.

Every inch of them was pressed together. Chest to chest. Legs tangled in such a way that it was a miracle they were still standing. Strong, confident hands tangled in hair and gripped and tugged at clothes. Shudders started on once side, and transferred like a wave to the other. Lips pressed feverantly together, and tongues battled for the upper hand. Anything to touch, taste, and hear each other.

Lips moved away, only to be chased, and pressed back together. Their bodies rocked together, eliciting sweet moans that were full heartedly devoured by the darkness and each other's mouths. They moved as one, not really knowing where the other began as they groped blindly in lust and passion. They wanted each other. _Needed_ each other closer. So close that they shared the same breath. So close that the universe itself seemed to push them together. They needed it. The taste of each other. The sound of mewling, moaning, panting wantonly. The _feeling_ of fiery skin against fiery skin. They simply _needed_.

They drew away again. This time because one thought passed through both of their minds. That thought being: Too much clothes; not enough skin. A cotton shirt was pealed over a blonde head, and bandages were attacked savagely. Eyes that wanted to see nothing but sun-kissed skin raked over taunt, rippling muscles. A needy whine was shared between them, neither sure who it came from. Neither caring. Nimble fingers tugged at the black wife-beater, a sigh of relief coming as the shirt was removed as quickly as possible.

"Have to—" Naruto said as flesh met flesh, and he dazedly reached for the plate of exotic berries and grabbed a handful. "Eat something. Need to."

"No," Riddick murmured back, grabbing the lithe form's hips to hoist him up. "Just need you. Want you."

"Want you too," He said, legs winding around his waist so that their pelvises lined up, and the friction caused a groan to split between them as their matching hardness pressed against each other. "But I—" He moaned as hips rolled into his. "I want you fed. Want you healthy and strong becau—" He cried out softly as fingers splayed across the pounding seal on his stomach. "Because I wanna do so many things to you."

Riddick growled in appreciation as Naruto's eyes rolled back and he bucked in pleasure. The blonde quickly regained his fleeting mind and stuffed the few berries he still had into his mouth. Gripping the back of Riddick's head, he jerked the man forward, and received easy access to his mouth. The dark sweets passed between them, and some of their juice seeped out of the kiss to leave a dark trail across tan skin.

The tastes and sensation exploded in the back of the larger man's mind. It was as if every nerve had been electrified in the few moments that passed. Each tiny caress had his hips surging forward, and the fire within him burned brighter and brighter with need. His tongue searched and mapped the mouth that was waiting to be dominated while he held the blonde tighter. Finally, after what seemed like hours of just ravaging each other's lips, Riddick pulled away to stare into Naruto's wanting eyes.

"So fuckin' beautiful," He muttered, watching the way his boy rolled his eyes and blushed faintly.

"Am not," He suddenly gasped as a hot tongue licked a wet trail up his jaw, swiping at the dark juices there. "Not beautiful. Ruggedly handsome, maybe. But _not_ beautiful."

Riddick chortled against his skin, his lips ghosting across warm gold as he lapped up the sweet trail down his neck. "A'course not. I said you were fuckin' beautiful."

Naruto growled playfully, rolling his hips, and earning a low groan that vibrated across his skin. Arching his back, Naruto sighed in content as he gave over to just feeling. Suddenly, his back was meeting the mattress, and there was a perfect weight on top of him as Riddick settled in. Lips were working across his skin, and he could barely think as he went to grip his shoulders as Riddick's hips drove forward against his. He frowned as he felt the coagulated blood, and his lust glazed eyes cleared as concern took it's place.

"Riddick," He said, but was ignored as the man bit at his collarbone. "_Riddick_."

"What?" He growled back, continuing his ministrations.

"Stop," He said breathlessly, swallowing back a moan as hips rocked against his.

"Why?"

"Just stop, okay?" He replied exasperatedly, pushing Riddick off gently. "Just for a second."

Sighing, he pulled back, giving Naruto a dry look. "What it is?"

Before he knew what was happening, the blonde was slipping behind him. He was about to protest until he felt soft lips press to his shoulder. He tensed a moment as fingers worked the muscles in his back, frowning as Naruto trailed kisses along the skin he'd wounded. Reaching around, he stilled the blonde's movements, and twisted to face him.

"What're you doing, Naruto?"

"Shh," He hushed him, leaning up to kiss him gently, but the heat was still there. "You've been taking care of me—So, let me fix this."

Riddick hesitated, but nodded and released his hold on Naruto's wrists. After kissing him once more, the half-demon resumed his previous actions. As his mouth met the wounds, a spark seemed to transfer through them and the ailments healed slowly one by one. A sudden wave of heat rolled through the both of them, and the seal on Naruto's stomach pulsed harshly. He gasped, resting his forehead against the center of Riddick's well muscled back. The blonde's heart ached as everything seemed to click in his mind. The seal let off a red glow, and the larger man turned around as Naruto started to shake.

"Naruto?" He asked, voice laced with worry.

"I'm okay," He whispered, head tilting back to stare up at him through thick lashes. "Riddick… I know what's happening." He muttered, dazed as he leaned up, lips searching for Riddick's. "Your it. You're my mate."

Silver eyes widened a second before he felt a pull at his chest and looked down. There were string-like lines connected Naruto and Riddick all over. Flares of heat that twined around them and secured them closer together as skin met skin. He was tempted to pull away from the connection, but he couldn't. Not when it was tying him to the man that he wanted so badly that it felt he couldn't breath without him. So, instead, he pressed his mouth securely to the blonde's, and let his tongue delve out.

The blonde moaned, arching his back, his arms draped around the man's shoulders. They pressed together, hands roaming, exchanging sounds and saliva. Before they registered what was even happening, they were completely nude—just flesh on flesh. Heat bubbled around them and their members rubbed together, causing Naruto to gasp in a ragged breath. He whimpered as Riddick slipped his hand between them, fisting around both of their cocks as they worked together.

"Oh, Kami-sama, don't stop," Naruto moaned as Riddick pulled from the kiss to bite down his neck.

The red flares tangled around them, binding them together as they rolled and rocked their hips forward. Naruto was lost to the sensation as an overwhelming heat grew and grew in his stomach. Riddick grunted, thrusting his hips faster, his hand tightening around their cocks. The strings of light tightened as well, searing into their flesh without causing harm, and sending all their nerves to hypersensitive. Naruto mewled, arching his back, as his brilliant blue eyes burst open and he cried out Riddick's name as he came against their stomachs. He panted, moaning, and reached up to pull Riddick's mouth against his. The larger man thrusted a few more times before finishing with a low groan that Naruto ate greedily.

They lay there, entwined and bound together a moment, until the red flares retracted, pulling back to the seal and releasing it's hold on them. Riddick felt a surge of power and strength that he'd never felt before, and grinned against Naruto's skin. The blonde laughed softly, shaking his head as Riddick looked up at him. He frowned slightly, seeing tears slipping down scarred cheeks, and he leaned forward, kissing them away.

"What is it?" He asked, tongue trailing over a whisker mark. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," He said, still light headed. "Just… Riddick, do you know what just happened?"

"Just a minor warm up," He said, chuckling, kissing his temple.

"No, Riddick, not the sex," He said with his own tiny smile.

The bald man frowned, "The lights."

"Yeah, the lights," He said, nodding. "That was… It wasn't supposed to happen. I've only ever wanted it to happen with one person, Riddick. He died."

"Itachi."

"Yes, Itachi." He said, more tears escaping his azure gaze. "We mated, Riddick. You have no idea what I just did to you."

Riddick paused a moment, rough thumb wiping away the hot, salty tears. "Eternity with you doesn't sound so bad. Especially not if it's always this exciting."

He chortled, pressing his forehead to his. "You really are a beast, aren't you? A wonderful, dangerous beast. You don't even care."

"Not at all," He said, kissing him gingerly.

"You'll die if I do," He said in all seriousness. "This isn't something that… Riddick, this… you don't have to stay with me always. We're mated, but it's not like that. It's a binding, but you don't ever have to think you belong to me."

"And it's the same thing from my side, too?" He asked, voice suddenly horse at the idea of Naruto dying. He didn't even want to think about how close he came.

"Yes," He whispered, face scrunching up in frustration. "I didn't want this for you. A life where everyone dies before you. It's not—It hurts."

"I don't mind," He stated, and Naruto knew it was true. "Stop thinking about it, Naruto. You're tired. Just sleep. I'll still be here in the morning."

The blonde hesitated as Riddick pulled him close and the buried under the covers. Skin pressed to skin, and he felt so at home. So safe. He nodded, acquiescing to the man's terms. Riddick would be there in the morning. He just wasn't so sure he would be…

**The End**

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* * *

**

But not really.

Jeez, guys, I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to get this up. Over the summer I was so busy I barely had time to breath, and now Junior year has started and my parents are on my back about my grades. So bloody annoying. Anyways, here's the long awaited chappy, and I really hope you guys liked it. It was my first ever any kind of slash semi-sex scene. And I do plan on continueing into CoR, but I'm warning you now, it's going to take a while. I have other stories to write, a novel to work on, sports to play, and school to do. I hope you keep reading though, and thanks so much to everyone who's supported me over the months this has taken. Funny that it was going to be a really long one-shot, but it turned into my most popular story on here. THANK YOU AGAIN! And please, if you're still interested, look for the Chronicles of Riddick fanfiction I will try to have started by Febuary.

Much love,

Thanks again,

Tara


	21. Author's Note

**A/N:**

I am pleased to say that I have begun the dire process of writing and forming my own version of the Chronicles of Riddick movie. Except, you know, in fanfiction form.

If you just go to my profile, it's sitting there waiting to be read. I hope you all enjoy that as much as you've enjoyed this.

Much love,

Always,

Tara

P.S. I hope you enjoy the knowledge that there will indeed be more inappropriate touching, etc. going on between our two boys. Have fun.


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